SAO: Mother's Reconciliation
by KiritoIRL
Summary: WARNING: Spoilers for the arcs up to "Mother's Rosario" and the "Progressive" arcs. Summary: Takes place during the "Mother's Rosario" arc, after Yuuki's passing. When Asuna grieves for Yuuki, how will her family help her? When Kyouko cried in an inconvenient world where she couldn't stifle her tears, Asuna comforted her. Now it's time for her to return the favor.
1. The Passing

**Disclaimer:** I don't own SAO. It belongs to Kawahara Reki sensei!

 **A/N: This story was made as an inspiration after reading Sword Art Online fanfics from authors like: momoxtoshiro, Kirigaya-Asuna54, KittenofthePastries, heroes1202, omegafire17, TheSib, and Knowledgeseeker66. But as much as I enjoyed reading their stories, the majority of the stories written by these authors all focused on KiriAsu. Not that I'm complaining about it, since I love the pairing. It's just that the characters of Mother's Rosario arc didn't get much attention. Mother's Rosario is by far my favorite arc in SAO and wanted to see some elaboration on it, which I think is sadly lacking in both the light novel and fanfictions themselves. So I thought this story's setting may be an ideal place to start.**

 **After watching the ending of season 2 of SAO, I started to wonder, what happened during the time skip of Yuuki's death and her funeral. And this story is my speculation of what happened during the time skip.**

 **Lastly, to the authors mentioned above: thanks for writing the stories you've posted as I've thoroughly enjoyed reading them. If by any chance you read this story, I hope you leave a comment of some sort. Thanks again!**

 **This is my very first fanfiction, so no harsh comments, please. But any constructive criticisms are welcomed. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1: The Passing

* * *

 _Sunday, March 29th, 2026._

 _ALO, New Aincrad, 24_ _th_ _floor._

Asuna was trying so hard to not cry openly, thinking that doing so would only sadden Yuuki during her final moment. She held Yuuki in her arms, as she had collapsed earlier when she no longer had the strength to even stand up. Thankfully, Yuuki wasn't in pain at all. Just feeling 'weak' is all. They were at the little island where the Zekken, Yuuki had her duels, but this time, they weren't here to watch Yuuki duel someone else. Everyone had gathered to show their respects for the dying swordswoman.

After everyone had finished gathering around the island together, Yuuki had started a heart-breaking soliloquy, in which she questioned the reason for her own existence and having finally discovered the answer surrounded by her friends and so many others who had gathered to 'cheer her on' for her next journey. Asuna finally let her tears fall.

"I… I'll see you again. In some other place, in some other world, we'll definitely see each other again. And when we do, promise me you'll tell me what you found in that world, alright?" Asuna said, as another tear fell onto Yuuki's closed eye.

Yuuki opened her eyes in which she knew would be her last time doing so. She then saw her beloved sister Aiko smiling down at her. Happy that she would meet her again very soon, Yuuki let her tears fall.

 _'I… I did my best to live. I… really lived here!'_ Yuuki thought. She then slowly let her eyes close, then flew higher than her wings could take her.

When she felt Yuuki's hand going limp in hers, Asuna looked down at Yuuki. Yuuki was smiling with her eyes closed. Yuuki had finally been freed from her suffering. She should be happy that Yuuki was now with her loved ones, but she just couldn't stop the grief from overwhelming her.

She was gone. Gone to where her deceased family and friends were. Gone to a world where there is no suffering, but only peace.

Asuna hugged Yuuki's body and wept profusely. The other Sleeping Knights members, Jun, Nori, Siune, Talken, and Tecchi were crying too, realizing that their young leader was now gone.

All of Asuna's friends that had gathered, Klein, Sinon, Silica, Lisbeth, Leafa, Yui and even Kirito were openly shedding tears for Yuuki. The other thousands of players that gathered for Yuuki also grieved for her passing.

After some time had passed, Asuna barely managed to compose herself. She stood up, taking Yuuki's headband off. She then also picked up Yuuki's sword.

The others were curious as to what she was up to, but Kirito had an idea of what Asuna was doing.

She tied Yuuki's headband to the sword's hilt and then planted it at the base of the tree. She had made a makeshift grave marker for Yuuki.

Then Asuna turned around, facing every players present. "Everyone. Let's have a moment of silence for Yuuki. Let's pray that Yuuki is with her family now." She said. The others agreed silently and bowed their heads in respect.

After a minute or two, the moment of silence was over. Then the majority of the players began to leave with heavy hearts. Among the few that stayed a little longer were Sakuya, Alicia Rue, Eugene, Recon, Sasha, Thinker, and Yulier. They all offered their respects to Asuna, her friends, and the Sleeping Knights. The women were crying and the men wore sad expressions. Even Eugene wore a genuinely sad expression that betrayed his usual gruff exterior.

Then Yuuki's avatar suddenly glowed and then disappeared, like it would during a log out sequence. Asuna and Kirito then realized that Yuuki had been taken off the Medicuboid.

Then she remembered that she was logged into ALO using the hospital's Amusphere. She knew that she had to log out soon.

"I… I'm sorry everyone. I logged in using the Amusphere in Yuuki's hospital. I need to go soon…" Asuna told her friends sadly. They all nodded in understanding.

"Asuna, don't be too sad. I'm sure Yuuki wouldn't have wanted that." Lisbeth said, attempting to console her.

"That's right. So please don't cry anymore, Asuna-san." Silica squeaked. Pina gave a sad purr in agreement.

"Asuna-san, remember what you said. Yuuki-san is with her family now." Leafa added.

"Eh… I'm sure she's happy now." Sinon said, wiping her tear.

Asuna looked at her friends and gave a small smile. "Yes… Yes, you're right. Arigatou, minna (Thanks, everyone)…" Asuna opened her menu to log out.

But then a voice called out to her: "Asuna-san!"

Asuna looked at caller, who turned out to be Siune.

"Asuna-san… I, no, we'd like to thank you… for staying with Yuuki until the very end. I… I only wish that Yuuki had met you sooner." The other Sleeping Knights members all nodded in agreement.

"Yes… Me too. Arigatou, Siune-san." Asuna replied. She turned to her menu to log out before she lost her composure again when another voice stopped her.

"Mama… Please don't be sad anymore. Please…" Yui said. Asuna looked at her daughter, only to see a fresh round of tears on the little pixie's face. Seeing such a scene only served to further tear her heart.

"Alright. Mama will try… Mama will try…" she tried to stop her tears from falling, but failed miserably. Then she felt Kirito pull her into his arms, trying to console her.

Under normal circumstances, everyone would be awing at the couple hugging together. But at this time of sadness, doing so was out of the question.

Asuna then asked Kirito and Yui: "Gomenne (I'm sorry), Kirito-kun, Yui-chan. I'm being such a crybaby today, aren't I?"

Kirito then looked at her in the eye. "Don't apologize Asuna. It's alright. It's only natural for you to feel like this."

"That's right, Mama. We're here for you." Yui chimed in.

Asuna nodded gratefully, internally thanking them for their efforts in cheering her up.

She then told Yui: "I'm sorry Yui-chan. But Mama… Mama won't be online for a little while. Please understand." Asuna felt like she needed to be away from ALO for some time. If she stayed in ALO in her current state, it would only serve to constantly remind her that a dear friend had passed away.

Yui and Kirito, of course, understood her request. "Okay Asuna… I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school." Kirito said sadly.

"Mmm. Arigatou Kirito-kun, Yui-chan." Asuna said. She again opened her menu and this time successfully pressed the log out button. But at the same time, she was scared to wake up back at the hospital, because she knew that she would have to face the fact that Yuuki was gone.

* * *

 _Yokohama North General Hospital_

When she regained consciousness back in the real world, Asuna hesitated taking the Amusphere off her head. But after a few seconds, she mentally prepared herself for another grieving. She then took the Amusphere off and stood up.

She dreaded exiting the room and going to Yuuki's room, but she knew that she couldn't stay in there forever. She knew that she had to face the harsh reality that such a young and cheerful girl, whose life had barely begun had passed away so soon. So, reluctantly, Asuna opened the door to the hospital's hallway. As she came into Yuuki's room, she saw the nurses covering Yuuki's body with a white sheet, both looking like they would start crying anytime, preparing to move her body out of the room.

Dr. Kurahashi then noticed Asuna enter. He approached her with sadness evident on his face.

"I'm sorry, Asuna-san. We've done all we could to make this easier for Yuuki-kun. At least now, she's with her family." Dr. Kurahashi said solemnly.

Asuna nodded silently, unable to say anything. Then Dr. Kurahashi continued: "Yuuki-kun wore the same expression as her sister when she passed on. In the end, they both smiled. They both passed on peacefully."

Asuna nodded again and this time managed to say something: "Yes, thank you, sensei. For taking care of Yuuki all this time."

Kurahashi managed a small smile. "You give me too much credit, Asuna-san. Ever since you first came to visit Yuuki-kun in the real world, she's told me everything that has happened afterwards. She was so excited at the prospect of actually going to school using the VR probe that your schoolmates created that she wouldn't stop chattering. Not to mention seeing the real world again with her own eyes and the adventures you had together in ALO. All in all, I'm certain that Yuuki-kun was at her happiest after she met you."

Hearing that, Asuna felt a small amount of grief being lifted from her heart. She thanked Dr. Kurahashi again and left the room. As she did, the two nurses present also started moving the bed that Yuuki's body laid on out of the room. Asuna couldn't bring herself to see the scene, for she was sure she would break down and start crying again if she did.

On her way to the lobby, she came across Yuuki's relatives. They had, of course, come because Kurahashi contacted them, telling them of her passing.

Yuuki's relatives and Asuna had seen each other once or twice in passing when they came to visit Yuuki in the hospital, but it was their first time introducing themselves to each other. After the introductions, and Asuna showing her sympathy to them, they tearfully thanked Asuna for being with Yuuki until the end. Before they left, they told her the time and place for Yuuki's funeral. It would take place in a church that the Konno family went to next Saturday. Asuna thanked them again and left.

* * *

As Asuna exited the hospital, she noticed her phone ringing, notifying her of a message. Checking it, she saw that it wasn't one, but several messages from her friends, and some from the Sleeping Knights, all of them containing words of comfort (as well as gratitude in the case of the Sleeping Knights).

Although she was grateful for their attempts, right now, it was impossible to not grieve.

Asuna slowly began to walk away from the hospital, not really paying attention to where she was going.

She couldn't think of anything, nor care what was going around her. All she could think of was Yuuki and her long 15 years of fighting throughout her life, not just the AIDS, but also a battle against herself and the cruel reality. During her whole life, Yuuki and her family had endured so much suffering, both physically and emotionally. But even so, Yuuki always tried her best, keeping her mother's promise that 'Kami-sama (God) never gives them pain that they couldn't endure' in mind.

But as she thought of this, another thought entered her mind. If the God in the Bible, the God that Yuuki and her family believed in really existed, why did he do this to the Konno family? How could he have sentenced them, especially Yuuki and Aiko to a lifetime of suffering, only to die so early when their lives had only started? If God didn't give them pain that they couldn't endure, then why couldn't he just not give any pain at all in the first place? The more she thought about this, the more she thought it was unfair for them. She kept asking herself hopelessly why this whole tragedy had happened to Yuuki and her family, knowing that no one would give her the answer to that question.

As Asuna started getting lost in her own thoughts, she continued walking, too occupied in grief to know where she was going.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, the first chapter. More will come by soon enough. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Telling them Everything

**A/N: This is my very first fanfiction, so no harsh comments, please. But any** **views, follows, and reviews with** **constructive criticisms are welcomed.**

 **Also, this fanfiction will cover details that were omitted from the anime. These details are from the fan-translated version of the light novels. Please enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Telling them Everything

* * *

Asuna had been walking aimlessly for quite a while, and when she did manage to realize where she was, she stopped walking.

The first thing that came into her view was the magnificent Sakura trees and in the midst of the trees, was a Christian church. Then Asuna realized that she had somehow managed to find the church where Yuuki's funeral would be held, as Yuuki's relatives had described the Sakura trees surrounding the church during springtime.

She knew that she had been walking for quite a while with no destination in mind, so she was surprised she managed to find it.

But when Asuna realized the significance of the church, she pondered what she should do: keep walking, away from the church that would remind her again of Yuuki, or go inside it. After thinking for a while, she decided to go inside. She hoped that she wouldn't have to bump into anyone, but after looking at her cellphone for time, she realized it was 5 PM. By now, there shouldn't be much people inside, so with any luck, she wouldn't have to face anyone.

Asuna quietly opened the door to the church and soon found herself in the worship hall, which was thankfully empty. She slowly approached the altar and knelt down, folded her hands and started praying for Yuuki to have found peace along with her family.

After Asuna had convinced her mother to let her stay in the SAO Survivor's school, she and Yuuki had gotten very close, and at some point, Asuna got curious about Christianity and found herself wondering why the Konno family chose to keep believing in God even after the infection of the whole family. But this being such a touchy subject, Asuna couldn't bring herself to ask the question. But Yuuki, somehow realizing what Asuna wanted to ask, told her of the stories of the Bible that her mother had told both her and Aiko. At first, Asuna found it a little hard to believe the miracles that God had made happen in the Bible, but as she continued listening, she eventually found herself believing in the stories, as well as Yuuki's belief in God.

Ignoring the earlier thoughts that she had about God's existence after she left the hospital, Asuna continued praying.

After she finished praying, she thought: _'Yuuki. Are you at peace now? Have you met your family again, as well as Clovis-san and Merida-san? Have your mother's prayers come true? Are you by God's side now?'_

As she asked these questions, she suddenly heard the door to the hall open. Startled, Asuna quickly got to her feet. In the doorway stood a middle-aged man and by the looks of his clothing, he was the reverend of the church. When he saw that there was someone in the worship hall, he gently asked her, "Is there something I can do for you, ojou-san (young lady)?"

Normally, Asuna would've greeted back, but right now, she really didn't feel like facing anyone. "No, it's alright. I was just leaving. Thank you." Asuna said, and quickly left the church, not wanting to be asked again.

* * *

 _Sunday, March 29th, 2026_

 _Setagaya, near the Yuuki mansion_

Asuna didn't have a very clear idea of how and when she managed to get herself back near her house in Setagaya. By about 6:30 PM, she had gotten off of the subway station which was about a 10 minute walk away from her house.

As she got off to the street leading to her house, she felt a drop of water land on her face. She looked up to see the previously clear sunsetting sky now suddenly filled with dark clouds, about to release a downpour. It didn't take very long for the rain to fall.

Around her, she heard people screaming and running to seek shelter from the rain, but she didn't bother doing the same. She kept walking towards her home in a depressed manner as her hair and clothes got soaked within seconds.

When she was at the point where the Yuuki manor was visible, she saw a figure with an umbrella running from the direction of the manor. When the figure got closer, it turned out to be the Yuuki family's housekeeper Sada Akiyo.

When she saw Asuna walking towards her, taking on the full force of the downpour, Sada ran up to her, shocked. "Ojou-sama!? Wha… What are you doing out here in such a weather? And you're soaked to the bone! Here." Sada said as she put the umbrella over her head. "Let's go. I'll come with you back to your home!" Asuna merely nodded at her kindness in a hollow manner and followed her towards the manor.

At this point, Sada thought something was off with her young miss. She hadn't smiled or thanked her when she had displayed her kindness. Usually she was always kind and smiling, and always thanking her even for the little things, which was one of the reasons she liked to work for the Yuuki family, to see this brilliant young lady's smile. Not only that, whenever Asuna saw Sada, she would almost always start a conversation of some sort with the latter, which Sada enjoyed quite a lot. But again, this time, such conversations were completely absent.

When she looked at Asuna to ask what the matter was, she stopped when she saw her eyes. They were red and puffy; which was a sign that she had been crying. Even though she was drenched, the signs were hard to miss. "Ojou-sama? Is something the matter? Did something happen?" Sada asked in concern.

Asuna merely said "It's… it's nothing, Sada-san." But the way her voice croaked clearly stated otherwise. But Sada decided not to probe any further, and decided to tell Shouzou and Kyouko about this. Since Asuna's parents and Kouichirou had arrived home not too long ago, her whole family was home together, which was a somewhat rare occasion, given their busy schedules. She thought they may be able to help her better. They were her family after all.

After a few minutes, they arrived at the Yuuki manor and got inside. And as they came through the front door, Kouichirou was about to head upstairs after finishing dinner, but when he saw Asuna come in with Sada, he immediately went to greet his little sister.

"Sada-san? I thought you went back home. What bring you back… Oi, Asuna! Guess who's home! How've you been…" Kouichirou started cheerfully, at first expecting her to be excited at seeing her brother again in such a long time, like she usually was. But when he took in her full appearance, he stopped midsentence. "A… Asuna? Daijyoubu nano? (Are you okay?) And you're soaking wet too! What's the matter?" But Asuna didn't answer his question and just proceeded to go upstairs, her hair and clothes dripping on the way.

At this point, Sada and Kouichirou just looked at each other with extreme confusion and worry. It wasn't like her to behave like this. "Sada-san. What's going on with Asuna? Did something happen to her?"

"I don't know myself Kouichirou-sama. I was on my way home just a moment ago when I came across the young miss. She wasn't even attempting to shield herself from them rain. And, I think she may have been crying too." Sada said in concern.

"Crying? Asuna…" Kouichirou said, looking towards where he last saw Asuna.

"In any case, I think I should tell Kyouko-sama about this." Sada said.

Then as if on cue, a voice said: "Tell me what?" Kouichirou and Sada looked towards where the voice came from. There stood Shouzou and Kyouko, wondering what was going on.

"I thought you'd gone home Sada-san." Shouzou said when he saw the housekeeper.

"Yes, on my way back, I came across Ojou-sama out in the rain, so I came back to see her home. But it's just that…" Sada trailed off. "Yes, go on." Shouzou gestured, so Sada continued. "Ojou-sama wasn't even attempting to cover herself from the rain, and she wasn't behaving like her usual self. And, I think she may have been crying…"

"Crying?" Shouzou and Kyouko looked at each other, wondering what could have happened to her to make her grieve like that, when lately she had been so cheerful and smiling ear to ear quite often.

Then, a thought occurred to Kyouko: "That boy… He must have something to do with this!" She said, her voice suddenly angry.

Shouzou then realized who Kyouko was talking about. "That boy? You mean Kirigaya-kun?"

"Who else would it be? He must have done something to her! I knew it was a bad idea to let her keep seeing him! I bet she's been with him since she went out today!" She replied as she started going upstairs towards Asuna's room.

But somehow, Shouzou doubted that that was the case. After the arrest of Sugou Nobuyuki and the collapse of Recto Progress, Shouzou realized that he had only judged Sugou by his skill and talents and lamented on how he had failed to realize Sugou's twisted personality. He had assumed that he knew Sugou well just because he was the son of a family friend, as well as having watched him grow up since he was in school.

So, not wanting to make the same mistake on judging people again, he had asked Asuna to tell him everything she knew about Kazuto after she had been freed from Sugou's grasp. And of course, Asuna had given him a positive feedback about him, telling him of their time fighting together in SAO, as well as how much he had risked to save her from the horrific plans Sugou had in store for her.

Also, after he resigned as CEO of Recto, he had a face to face talk with Kazuto, wanting to see if his side of the story was consistent with Asuna's. During that entire meeting, Kazuto had shown no signs of lying and showed no attempt to sugarcoat some of the mistakes he felt he had made in SAO. After the talk, any doubt he had on Kazuto had vanished. He knew from then on that Kazuto was an honest young man he could trust. Added to the fact that he had shown support for Asuna when he visited her during her rehab and their interaction together, he could tell that they genuinely cared for each other. So he decided that as long as he kept Asuna happy, he would allow Kazuto to keep dating her. It was the least he could do for the young man, for if it hadn't been for him, he would have unknowingly sentenced his daughter to a life of misery.

"Now, now, dear, let's not jump to conclusions. It could be about something entirely different. Let's ask her ourselves. Then we'll see whether it's what you think."

Hearing her husband reasoning with her, she sighed.

"Oh, alright, I'll hear what she has to say." She said as she continued going towards Asuna's room with Shouzou following suit.

Seeing this scene, Kouichirou sighed.

"Yare yare (oh dear)… Sada-san, please prepare some warm tea for Asuna and bring it up to her room." He said as he followed his parents up towards his sister's room.

"Hai, Kouichirou-sama." Sada bowed and went to the kitchen to do as instructed.

* * *

When Asuna had entered her house, she was surprised to see her brother home, as he had been away for a while for a business trip. Normally, she would have hugged him in excitement at seeing him in a long time, but in her grief, she couldn't even bring herself to respond to him, so she had wordlessly gone up to her room. When she entered her room, she didn't even bother turning the lights on, or change out of her school uniform which was completely wet from the rain. And because of that, her room felt colder than before.

Asuna sat down on her bed and took out her cellphone. She then started looking through the pictures taken from the phone, as well as ones she had downloaded from the Amusphere for the memories' sake. After a while scrolling down to find the specific pictures she was looking for, she finally found the ones she had been looking for: The ones that were taken with the Sleeping Knights as well as Yuuki in them.

She looked at the pictures that were taken during the last three months: The barbecue party, the flying race with her friends, Yuuki being crowned the champion of the ALO dueling tournament, the trip to Kyoto, as well as other pictures taken during the various adventures they all had both in the real and virtual worlds. Then finally, she arrived at the last picture: The one taken in front of the Monument of Swordsmen on the 1st floor of New Aincrad with herself and Yuuki smiling towards the camera with a victory sign. Seeing the picture triggered Asuna to remember fond yet painful memories of that day as well as earlier today. Soon, several tear drops were falling onto the screen of her phone.

"Yuuki… Yuuki…" Asuna moaned as she started to weep again.

Then she heard a knock on the door and her father's voice call out.

"Asuna? What's the matter, sweetie? Sada-san told us that you've been crying. What's going on?" Asuna however didn't answer. She knew that she couldn't avoid telling them about what had happened today forever, but that didn't mean that she was in any hurry to tell them about it either.

Then, she heard her mother's voice.

"Asuna, we know you're in there, young lady. Open the door and tell us what's wrong." When Asuna heard her mother's voice, she was surprised to hear it laced with genuine concern. It had been such a long time since Asuna had heard concern in her mother's voice. So, she relented and opened the door, with her cellphone still in her hand. But, for some reason, as soon as Asuna opened the door and faced her father, mother, and brother looking at her with worry, she immediately lost control of her emotion and started to cry openly. She threw herself into Kyouko and continued to cry. As she did, her phone dropped to the floor with a loud clatter.

At this point, Shouzou, Kyouko, and Kouichirou were desperate. As far as they all could remember, Asuna had never cried like this. Of course, they had all seen Asuna cry at some point when she was younger, but something about her current grief felt very different.

"Asuna. Asuna, what's wrong? Did that boy do something to you? Is that it?" Kyouko asked her daughter in a slightly frantic tone, starting to get desperate to get to the bottom of her turmoil.

When Asuna realized who she was talking about, she shook her head vigorously. "No… It's not Kazuto-kun…"

"Then what is it? Please, Asuna, tell us." Shouzou said, equally concerned.

"A friend… a friend… passed away…" Asuna hiccupped, finally giving her family an insight to the source of her grief. The other three Yuuki's looked at each other in stunned silence.

"A friend? Who? One of your friends from school?" Kouichirou asked. Instead of answering, Asuna only pointed towards her dropped cellphone. Kouichirou picked it up and saw the picture of Asuna and Yuuki together. Of course, he didn't recognize the purple haired girl, so he showed the picture to his parents to see if they knew her. They also shook their heads silently.

"Asuna. Would you like to talk to us about this friend of yours? We'll listen if you want to talk about it." Shouzou said softly.

Asuna looked up at her father in surprise. She didn't mishear what he just said, right? "R… really? You'll listen?" Her father nodded in response. Kouichirou also agreed to stay and listen. Kyouko hesitated for a second to respond. She had some more work she had to do before the end of the day, but she knew that if she ignored this and just went back to her work, it would only serve to strain the relationship between her and Asuna, which was only starting to recover a few months ago. Not only that, with Asuna in distress like this, she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate even if she did decide to go back to work. "I suppose this is important too." Kyouko said quietly.

"But before anything, go and wash yourself and change your clothes too before you get sick. You're soaking wet." She ordered her daughter.

Asuna nodded, feeling a bit better at her family's decision to listen. In all honestly, Asuna had thought that even if she told them about Yuuki's passing, they would only stay to comfort her for a little while and then go back to their work. She hadn't really expected them, especially her mother to agree to listen to her. In any case, she was glad they did.

So, Asuna pulled herself together and went into her room to get some change of clothes and then headed to the bathroom. On her way, she thought: _'I'll tell them everything. On how I met Yuuki and how we became friends. This might be an opportunity to finally open up to my family. So Yuuki, please lend me your strength.'_

With this new determination in mind, Asuna went on.

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for chapter 2. I finished this chapter quicker than I expected, but for the next few chapters, it may take a bit longer to upload. But make no mistake; I plan on finishing this story, so please look forward to it. Please leave a review if you liked the story so far. Any constructive criticisms are welcomed. Also, the more views, visits and reviews I get, I'll feel more motivated to see this story to the end.**

 **For the next few chapters, it will be about Asuna telling her family about the events of the Mother's Rosario arc. Stay tuned and I hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Looking Back - Part 1

**A/N: Hello readers, I'm back with another chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. This chapter, Asuna will be telling her family on how she met Yuuki and the adventure the two of them started. This chapter will also talk about Kouichirou's personality and background (or at least my speculation of it).**

 **I'm sorry if I made some of the characters from the previous chapters a bit OOC. If you see something that you think needs improvement, then please leave it in the comment section! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO or its characters. They belong to Reki-sensei!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Looking Back – Part 1

* * *

After washing herself and changing out of her soaked school uniform, Asuna felt considerably better. So, after getting out of the shower, she went back to her room to see her parents sitting on her bed and her brother sitting on the chair near the bed, waiting for her.

Asuna went into her room and sat down on the bed between her parents.

"Here. Drink up. It'll help warm you up." Kouichirou said as he handed Asuna a cup of tea that Sada had brought up when she was in the shower.

Asuna accepted the cup gratefully and practically downed the tea in almost one go.

"Would you like to start talking about it? You don't have to if you don't want to…" Shouzou said to Asuna with slight hesitation in his voice. But Asuna shook her head.

"No, I insist, Tou-san. I need to get this off my chest. But, it'll take a while to tell you everything, so please listen to the end." Then she gave a sigh and started her story.

"That girl in the picture with me, her name is Konno Yuuki. We first met in ALO during the first or second week of January this year. Around that time, in ALO, there was a rumor going on about a particularly powerful player nicknamed the 'Zekken' who was challenging people to duels in ALO and won every single one of them. The Me and my friends started talking about the player and it got my interest when Kazuto-kun's sister told me that even he had lost to the Zekken. Kazuto-kun was well known to be one of the strongest player in ALO, so I wanted to see for myself who this Zekken was, so we decided to meet up next day and go the place where the Zekken always dueled, so that they could watch me duel the Zekken." She said and her family listened on.

"So, when we went to the place with my friends as well as Kazuto-kun, I was surprised to see that the Zekken was a girl. A girl in her early teens at that." When Kouichirou heard that part, he put the pieces together. "Wait. Then does that mean that this Konno Yuuki-chan and Zekken were one and the same?" Asuna nodded in confirmation to her brother's question.

"Wow… and here I thought that this Zekken was a guy, with how you described her." Kouichirou said, sounding astonished. Asuna almost giggled at her brother. It was funny how their thoughts were alike. She had, like Kouichirou, thought that the Zekken was some muscular guy when she had first heard about it. So, she gave a small smile to her brother and then continued on with her story.

"Anyway, when I got to duel with Yuuki, I could immediately tell that her skills weren't anything to be scoffed at. And so I started fighting more seriously because, well, because the day before the duel, I had a fight with Kaa-san about changing school and the whole suitor business. I'm sure you remember about it Kaa-san. So I wanted to get them off my mind by fighting her." Asuna said as she looked at Kyouko.

Kyouko could remember that day. At the time, she had been dissatisfied with the way Asuna's study was going. She had already missed two years of studying because of the SAO incident and honestly couldn't understand Asuna's fascination for the virtual world, especially after Sugou.

The argument they had that day had been very uncomfortable, for both Asuna and Kyouko. Asuna, because her Kyouko was practically forcing her to live her life the way she wanted, when Asuna should be free to make her own choice for her life. For Kyouko, because Asuna had brought up the name of the man that disgusted her just by thinking about him.

Now that Kyouko thought about it, it was only natural for Asuna to be distrustful of Yuuya-kun, who she had chosen as her daughter's suitor earlier that year. After all, who in their right mind would trust the judgment of a person who had once made such a fatal mistake of arranging her own daughter to marry a psychopath like Sugou?

When Kouichirou heard the 'suitor business' part, he gave his mother a stern glare. Like Asuna, Kouichirou hated the prospect of arranged marriage.

When he was Asuna's age, his mother would have him meet girls from other families of "High social standings." But with almost all of them, he could tell that they were only interested in him because of his handsome features and his social status, so he rejected them all within day one, much to his mother's frustration. ( **A/N: I'm just going to assume that Kouichirou is handsome, just because it would be unfair for him if Asuna is the only one that looks attractive.** )

As time went on, his mother would become more and more overbearing, so he started to stay out late when he started to go to university. This routine continued even after he graduated and found a career in his father's company, Recto Inc. In fact, Kouichirou wasn't busy because his boss gave him too much workload, but rather because he kept himself busy in order to be away from his overbearing mother for as much as possible.

But as he kept working, he knew that sooner or later, Asuna would have to face the pressure from their mother like he did, so he contacted Asuna on a regular basis to give her support or comfort, should she ever need them.

His desire to get away from his mother's pressure was one of the reasons he had wanted to get a copy of Sword Art Online, the other reason being that he loved the game during the closed beta. And of course, getting SAO led to Asuna logging into it and being trapped inside the virtual world for 2 years.

"Even though I fought as hard as I could, Yuuki was simply too fast in her movements. She really lived up to her title, the Absolute Sword. In the end I lost to her, but that was because Yuuki had used a sword skill powerful enough to bring my HP to the red zone. She could have finished me off then, but she didn't. Instead, she led me away from the dueling place so we could talk in private. She told me that she needed my help." Asuna said.

"Help with what, exactly?" Shouzou asked curiously.

"I'm getting to that Tou-san. Yuuki then took me to a place where her guild friends were. She was the leader of a small guild of 6 people called the Sleeping Knights…" Asuna said as she remembered on how she had met the Sleeping Knights.

* * *

 **Flashback: _January 7th, 2026, New Aincrad, 27th Floor, Town of Ronbaru, after Asuna's duel with Yuuki._**

 **A/N: This flashback will contain details from the light novel that was skipped in the anime.**

After leaving the little island where Yuuki had her dueling matches, Asuna had traveled with Yuuki to the 27th floor of Aincrad towards the town of Ronbaru. 27th floor was an area of perpetual darkness, with little to no lights visible even during daytime, so the young Imp's night vision allowed them to proceed to their destination quicker than usual. They came across several monsters, but didn't bother fighting them.

Soon, they had arrived at Ronbaru and at this point, Asuna was getting curious as to why Yuuki had brought her there.

"Why exactly did you bring me here?" Asuna asked. In response, Yuuki smiled and just said: "Before anything, let me introduce you to my friends first! Over here!"

After some running through the town, they finally arrived at a building that looked like an inn. They stepped into it and entered the restaurant.

"Minna, tadaima! (Everyone, I'm back!)" Yuuki said to a group of 5 people sitting at a round table at the center of the restaurant.

One of the occupants of the table, a teenage Salamander boy responded: "Welcome back, Yuuki! Did you find someone?!"

The Zekken then walked in front of them and said: "I'll introduce them to you! These are my guild mates of the Sleeping Knights!" Then she faced her guild mates to introduce Asuna to them.

"And this here is…" Yuuki began, but trailed off and then stuck her tongue out in an adorable manner. "Oh, sorry, I haven't asked your name yet, have I?"

"Eh~?!" The Sleeping Knights members all fell onto their chairs in disbelief.

Seeing this, Asuna couldn't help but laugh a little. Afterwards, she introduced herself.

"Hajime mashite (Nice to meet you). My name is Asuna."

And the other 5 members of the Sleeping Knights, Jun, Talken, Nori, Siune, and Tecchi introduced themselves to Asuna.

Finally, Yuuki finished the introduction with: "And I'm the guild leader, Yuuki! Asuna-san, let's do our best together!" She said as she stepped forward and held Asuna's hands, with an enthusiastic glint in her eyes.

But Asuna had to ask the following question, because she still didn't know exactly why she had been introduced to Yuuki's guild: "Ano (Um)… do our best together for what, exactly?"

Yuuki paused at that statement and then again, stuck her tongue out. "Aa… Oh, right… I still haven't explained anything to you!"

"Hah~?!" Once again, the Sleeping Knights collapsed onto their chairs, dumbfounded.

"You brought her here without explaining ANYTHING?!" Jun asked incredulously.

"Taku~ (Geez). Remind me again, why we made you our leader?" Nori said, shaking her head.

"Yuuki…" Talken, Siune, and Tecchi all groaned at their leader's silliness.

"Ahaha… Sorry! Totally forgot!" Yuuki said, maintaining her adorable expression.

"Pff… Ha ha ha!" Asuna couldn't hold it in any longer. She started laughing out loud at the antics of the guild. Yuuki and her friends soon laughed together as well.

Asuna could tell just from their interaction together that the Sleeping Knights members were more than just guild mates to each other. They were actual friends, trying to have fun playing the game with each other.

 **Flashback end**

* * *

When Asuna told her family about Yuuki's antics, the father and son found themselves laughing. Even Kyouko had to laugh a bit at Yuuki's silliness. It was as if the previous gloomy atmosphere had never occurred. Not only that, it had been so long since her family had gathered like this to just talk with each other casually. It was just the atmosphere that she had craved for so much in her home.

That was precisely the reason she liked the Kirigaya's home to her own home; the Kirigaya's had a certain warmth amongst them that made anyone watching to have a sense of welcome among them, while her house, while big and luxurious, had a cold, and somewhat unwelcoming feeling in it.

"So the so-called 'Absolute Sword' turns out to be a bit of an airhead… Who would have thought, huh?" Kouichirou said as he finished laughing.

"Yuuki then explained why she needed my help. The Sleeping Knights wanted to beat the boss of the 27th floor with just 7 people." Asuna explained. Then Kouichirou interrupted.

"What? But the bosses of New Aincrad are ones powerful enough to be able to wipe out a raid party of about two dozen people. Why go through the trouble?" Even though Kouichirou didn't play ALO as often as Asuna did, he still knew enough about the difficulty curve of New Aincrad.

"Because their ultimate goal was to have their names appear on the Monument of Swordsmen on the 1st floor. When you defeat a boss of New Aincrad for the first time, your name is engraved onto the Monument of Swordsmen. But the problem is, if the raid party exceeds 7 people, only the party and guild leaders' names will be engraved onto the Monument of Swordsmen. So, since they wanted ALL of the members of the Sleeping Knights' names to appear on the Monument of Swordsmen, their only option was to fight with 7 people. That was the reason Yuuki was holding the duels: to find someone strong enough to help them. And from the looks of things, the Sleeping Knights looked like they were all skilled players."

"So, I guess that means that you did accept their request and decided to party up together?" Kouichirou asked and Asuna nodded in response. "But the main reason I agreed to help them was because of their interaction together. Normally, guild members only get together to discuss game strategies together, but with the Sleeping Knights, with the way they interacted with each other, I could tell that there was some kind of special bond with all of them. Anyway, we agreed to meet again the next day to discuss our strategy for the boss raid and left. So I was going to take a look around the town I was in, but…" Asuna trailed off, remembering what came next.

"And? What happened?" Kyouko asked. Then Asuna looked at her and answered bitterly: "You unplugged the Amusphere as I was about to go around town."

When Shouzou and Kouichirou heard this, they both frowned at Kyouko.

"Kaa-san, you do know that if you did that to Asuna when she was wearing a NerveGear, she could've died, right? You're lucky she was using an Amusphere instead of a NerveGear. After SAO, I would've thought that you would at least have the decency to let her log out on her own." Kouichirou said, getting slightly angry for Asuna.

"Honestly, dear. I know you don't really appreciate virtual reality, but there was a better way to have her log out than what you did, wasn't there?" Shouzou said reproachfully.

"You could've just told her to log out by whispering into her ears or shake her body! Amusphere is designed to alert you when that happens!" Kouichirou fumed.

"Well, it's just that it took her 5 minutes to log out when I did that, so…" Kyouko tried justifying herself, but her son cut her off.

"So you just decide to rudely awake her by unplugging the Amusphere? How would you like it if I unplug the computer when you're working on something on it?" Kouichirou said. He usually wasn't one to initiate a heated conversation with his mother, but when it came to Asuna, Kouichirou was often quick to come to her defense, knowing what it's like to deal with their restrictive mother, and the frustration that came with it.

"Those are two different circumstances! I…" Kyouko started, but Kouichirou cut her off again.

"What's different? In the end, you'd be seriously annoyed, or even angry at the person that did it! This is exactly why me and Asuna can't stand being around you! You say that everything you do, you do it for us, but not have you ever stopped to consider how we feel about what you do for us? Pressuring us to use all of our time study so that we can have a good career is something I can understand a little, but the marriage arrangement? Do you have any idea how much we HATE it when you have us meet someone you pair us up with and hear them boast about themselves?" Kouichirou didn't know what came over him. All he knew was that all of the resentment that had accumulated towards his mother had suddenly exploded in one go.

Both Shouzou and Kyouko stayed where they were, stunned at their son's outburst. Usually, Kouichirou kept his emotions to himself and rarely got angry in their presence.

"If that wasn't bad enough, you still expect us to trust your judgment of what's best for us even after Su…" Kouichirou continued, but Asuna stopped him just in time when she realized he was about to say the name of the man whose name had become a taboo in the house.

"Nii-san!" Asuna said with a look in her eyes that practically pleaded him to stop. She really wasn't in the mood to be able to handle this right now. While she appreciated her brother's effort to defend her, right now, getting into a quarrel with their mother was the last thing she needed.

"While I was annoyed with Kaa-san for doing what she did, I did stay logged in for longer than I should have, so I guess I do bear some of the blame." Asuna admitted. She was also stern about setting time schedules and keeping them, though not as stern as her mother.

Kouichirou immediately regretted losing his temper when he saw the look his sister gave him.

"Okay, I'll stop. I'm sorry, Asuna, Kaa-san, Tou-san…" Kyouko gave no visible response while Shouzou nodded and told Asuna to continue her story.

Kyouko processed what her son had just shouted at her. While she was irked by what Kouichirou said, she couldn't deny that there was some truth to it. She decided to think more on that later and hear out the rest of Asuna's story.

So Asuna continued on with her tale, trying to forget the tense atmosphere her brother had accidently created.

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for the 3rd chapter. The main point of this chapter was to introduce Kouichirou's personality. Since Kouichirou is only mentioned briefly and never formally introduced even in the light novels, I wanted to give him a more significant role in my story. My imagination of Kouichirou was that he can voice his opinion when needed and is level headed, but can occasionally lose his temper, especially when his mother is involved. I also imagined him to be the protective type of older brother to Asuna. I hope that I've done a decent job portraying that. What do you guys think of my version of Kouichirou? Please leave a comment of what you thing.**

 **One more thing: speaking of comments, ever since this story was posted 2 weeks ago, it's gotten about 300 views, which I'm grateful for, considering that this is my first ever fanfic. But so far, only KittenofthePastries has posted a review. So I would like to ask you guys to have a total of 10 reviews posted. I promise that I will upload the next chapter when the number of reviews exceeds 10, so I hope you do write a review of any sort, may it be a compliment or criticism. Please follow/fav the story if you liked it!**

 **Again, thank you for reading this story, and stay tuned!**


	4. Looking Back - Part 2

**A/N: Hello, readers. I'm back with the 4th chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. I'm sorry it took 2 weeks this time to upload this chapter. The two weeks were kind of hectic and I had some work to do.**

 **And man, is this story getting some attention! 600 views, 6 favorites within a month? I think that's a good progress, for a first fanfic! Thank you for taking your time to read this story! I'm always open for constructive criticism on the reviews. Again, if you liked it, please leave a review!**

 **Lastly, have you guys seen the cover for the 'SAO: Side Story – Sisters' Prayer'? I can't wait for the thing to be translated! Apparently it will go in-depth about how the SK members met and hopefully formally introduce Clovis, Merida, and Ran (Konno Aiko). I'm so stoked for it to be released! Let me know if you're excited too!**

 **To 'Autistic-Grizzly': I'm sorry to hear about your friend. May he/she have found peace.**

 **To 'jokerk118': Thanks for the compliment! I'll do my best to make the story interesting. But you should know what would happen in the end if you've properly read the title of the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO or its characters! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei!**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Looking Back – Part 2

* * *

Asuna continued her story from where she left off.

"Anyway, the next day, we went to the boss room and attempted to try taking on the boss with just the 7 of us. And we were able to do it on our second try, thanks to Kazuto-kun and his friend helping us getting inside the boss room. But, it was after we defeated the boss and celebrated our victory when I started to feel something strange about the Sleeping Knights."

"Well, I can tell that they weren't really an ordinary guild, but what exactly was it that made you feel like that?" Kouichirou asked.

"I have 2 reasons: One, the way the Sleeping Knights moved their avatars in the virtual world, they were people who were very used to the Full-Dive environment, almost on par with the SAO survivors. It's not something that can be done in a short time. Their movements were far more natural than your average VRMMO player. And two, when I asked them to let me join their guild during our celebration, the reaction they gave was… strange." Asuna trailed off.

"Strange? How so?" Her father asked.

"They rejected it, but the expression on their faces when they turned me down, they all had a sad expression on their faces. From the atmosphere, it felt like they wanted to let me in, but they just couldn't for some reason. That's what I felt at that moment."

"But when I made that request, it suddenly made this melancholic atmosphere. So, to change the subject, I suggested going to the Monument of Swordsmen on the 1st floor. You know, to see if our names had been engraved there during the update. So we went and they were there. Everyone was so happy to have achieved their goal. So, we took a picture in front of the monument. This one, in fact." Asuna said as she showed them the picture in her cellphone that they had seen earlier.

"After we took the picture, Yuuki referred me as Nee-chan (Big sis) for the second time." Asuna said.

"Nee-chan? Second time?" Kyouko asked, her tone containing slight curiosity.

"Well, it was when we were fighting the Boss monster when Yuuki called me Nee-chan for the first time. I guess she wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying, since we were at the heat of battle then. So, I got curious as to why Yuuki was calling me Nee-chan, so when I asked… Well, Yuuki just suddenly started crying. And then, she just abruptly logged out on the spot. And for the next 3 days, she didn't log in to ALO or contact any of her friends. I tried sending her a message so many times, but she didn't reply to any of them. Or give any signs that she had read my messages." Asuna said.

"Well, what about her guild mates? They must have known something." Kouichirou suggested, but Asuna shook her head.

"3 days after Yuuki disappeared, I tried to ask the Sleeping Knights members what was going on, but even they wouldn't tell me anything…" Asuna said, as she remembered what had happened when she tried to ask Siune about Yuuki's disappearance.

* * *

 **Flashback: Sunday, January 11th, 2026. ALO, New Aincrad, 27th floor, Town of Ronbaru, Sleeping Knight's temporary base.**

 **(A/N: This flashback will contain some omitted details from the fan-translated LN as well as the animated version.)**

It had been 3 days after Yuuki had disappeared from ALO. Asuna was still trying to process what exactly happened 3 days ago. The crying image of Yuuki still haunted her memories. There was no way she could forget something like that. She needed to see Yuuki and talk to her, no matter what. But all the messages she sent to Yuuki were all replied with a The recipient is not logged in notice.

So, thinking that the other Sleeping Knights may know something about this, Asuna went to where the Sleeping Knights usually gathered; the inn at the town of Ronbaru, 27th floor.

But she didn't find anyone there. What's more was that the restaurant area that the Sleeping Knights usually sat at was shrouded in darkness with only a fireplace lighting the room.

Asuna sat at one of the tables near the fireplace and decided to send one last message to Yuuki, praying that she would answer or give any signs that she read her messages. But once again, the same notice popped up again, much to her frustration and disappointment.

Then she heard a familiar feminine voice: "Asuna-san?"

Looking up, she saw Siune with a pained expression on her face.

"Siune! Nee, what happened to Yuuki? She hasn't logged in at all for 3 days!" Asuna said, getting straight to the point. Siune sat down beside Asuna.

"We haven't been able to contact her either since then. It's not just ALO. It seems she never even FullDived again since that day. And we don't know anything about her in the real world, so…" Siune said, shaking her head. Then she gave Asuna a worried look.

"Asuna-san. Most likely, Yuuki doesn't want to meet you again. It's not about anyone else, but for your own sake." Siune continued.

Asuna was so stunned that she couldn't say anything for a few seconds. Then she asked: "Why?"

But Siune just stared at the ground wordlessly.

Asuna continued: "No… I understand, actually. You're all trying to keep your distance from me. If I'm being a burden to you, then I'll leave you alone." When she finished that sentence, Siune gasped and looked at her.

"But… If you just say that it's for my own sake, I won't be able to accept it!" Asuna said wistfully.

"A burden? We were really happy to have met you. In this world, we were able to make so many wonderful last memories because of you, Asuna-san. Helping us defeat the 27th floor boss, and even saying that you wanted to join our guild. We can't even begin to express our gratitude to you. I'm sure Yuuki feels the same way. But… I beg of you… Please, just forget about us…" Siune said, standing up. Her voice was quivering.

Siune paused at that moment. Then she summoned her menu to operate it. A few seconds later, a small trade window appeared in front of Asuna.

"It's earlier than I expected, but we need to disband the Sleeping Knights now. Those are all of the items we earned from the boss raid as well as our equipment…" Siune said.

But Asuna dismissed the trade window.

"No, don't. I can't accept this…" Asuna said as she looked up at Siune.

"Is this really goodbye? I loved spending time with Yuuki, Siune, and everyone else. I thought that we could become friends… Even after the guild disbanded, we could remain as friends, but… was I really the only one who was thinking that?" Asuna asked, at the brink of tears. But Siune merely lowered her head and shook it, her pained expression worsening.

In the past, Asuna would have never said such things. However, spending the previous few days with Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights, Asuna felt that she had changed somewhat. Even though the time she spent with them was short, they had left a deep and unforgettable impression on her. Forgetting about them was unthinkable. She didn't want their parting to be like this.

"Gomennasai (I'm sorry)… Gomennasai, Asuna-san… But this is for the best. Gomennasai… soshite sayonara… (I'm sorry… and goodbye...)" Then Siune waved her hand to summon her menu then pressed the log out button, as if she was trying to run away.

"Matte! (Wait!)" Asuna called desperately, but Siune had already disappeared in a pillar of light. Asuna collapsed onto her chair, sad and confused.

"What in the world is going on?" Asuna asked herself.

She was left in the dark, both literally and figuratively.

After Siune's abrupt departure, it wasn't just Yuuki and Siune. The rest of the Sleeping Knights never logged into ALO afterwards.

 **Flashback End**

* * *

"So no one would tell you anything?" Kouichirou asked, confused.

"No. I was so confused as to what was going on. I kept thinking of what could be the reason for everyone trying to keep their distance from me, but I couldn't think of anything." Asuna explained.

At this point, Kyouko decided to ask the question that had been on her mind ever since her daughter explained her desire to join the Sleeping Knights guild.

"Asuna… Why exactly were you so insistent on finding Yuuki again? After leaving so abruptly and no one telling you anything, wouldn't you have gotten frustrated? Why pursue the matter if they wouldn't tell you anything?" Kyouko asked. If that happened to her, under normal circumstances, she would have just tried to forget about those people.

Asuna contemplated for a few seconds before answering.

"It was because of something Yuuki told me. Do you remember me saying that Kazuto-kun and his friend helped us for our second attempt? Well, the reason they helped was because you see, when we went to the boss room again for our second attempt, a large group of a different guild had gathered around it and didn't let anyone else through. They were waiting for their other groups to arrive and so since they weren't going to in immediately, we asked if we can go ahead first. But they refused and made some unreasonable excuses for them to go first. The reason they were so insistent on trying first was because during our first attempt on the boss, one of their guild members had used us as pawns to get the information about the boss without fighting the boss themselves. And from what the Sleeping Knights told me, in the previous 3 floors of New Aincrad, that guild had already used the Sleeping Knights without their knowledge as pawns to get the information about the floor bosses." Asuna explained.

"Well, that's dirty; using you as a scapegoat." Kouichirou said, slightly appalled.

"Their methods were a bit underhanded, but they were effective. And because we knew that, we knew we had to do something go get through. So we had to get a little… forceful. Actually, it was Yuuki that initiated the fight between us against the guild." Asuna said, remembering how she and the Sleeping Knights took on the rival guild with Yuuki leading the way.

"But when I was about to protest, thinking that there was a better way than just starting a brawl, Yuuki told said this: "There were some things that you can only share by fighting. For instance, to show them how serious we are." What she told me wasn't something that she just thought up on the spot. It was a belief that she had. I could tell just by the tone of her voice when she spoke it. And also, her word did have some sense to it. Actions can speak louder than words. Yuuki was conveying her feelings through fighting.

Just by hearing Yuuki say what she said, I could see that she had something I didn't at the time: the courage to speak her mind and voice her opinion." Asuna said.

"You should know. Before SAO, I was always afraid of voicing my opinion. Ever since I was little, I found myself hiding behind someone. But my time in SAO, and the people I met there… Kazuto-kun, Rika, Keiko-chan, and others… they all helped me to have confidence in myself. Because of that, I was able to become the sub-leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath guild and escape from SAO." Asuna had, of course, explained to her family about her time in SAO and her progress to becoming the sub-leader in detail after her comeback from the virtual world.

"So, I thought, after I escaped from SAO, I would be able to confront you and be able to voice my opinions and thoughts to you as I was able to with my guild mates. But once I did come back, nothing had changed between us. I knew that I had gained a lot of confidence in myself, but every time I was face to face with Kaa-san, all the confidence I had in myself just… disappear. The strength I thought I had gained, the proud sub-leader of the most powerful guild in SAO, 'Senkou no Asuna (Lightning Flash Asuna)' only existed in the virtual world. It felt like, all the progress I made to become stronger were all in vein." The Yuuki's, especially Kyouko processed what Asuna said.

"Asuna…" Kyouko said.

She had pressured her children and hardened herself so that they could become strong enough to handle themselves when they grew and went into society. Of course she meant well by doing this. But after Asuna had a heart-to-heart talk with her inside ALO, she had gained a better insight to her daughter's desires and opinions. And the reminder of her deceased parents and hearing about their pride in her also helped her open her eyes to her daughter's choices in life.

But before all of that happened, had she really have been that much of a discouraging figure in the eyes of her family? She did what she thought was the best for her family, but looking back, and looking at the events that happened throughout the past few years, could she truly say that what she had planned for Asuna and Kouichirou really have been for the best?

"But then, I met Yuuki and her guild. I felt like they had the key to finally gain the strength I needed. So, wanted to be with them so that overtime, I could have the confidence I needed to confront Kaa-san and convey my thoughts to her someday. I needed to see where and how Yuuki got her strength and confidence from…."

"And… well, a day after the Sleeping Knights left, the new term had started for our school. And during lunch break, Kazuto-kun called me out onto the roof. He asked me if I really wanted to find Yuuki again and I said yes. So, Kazuto-kun gave me the location where Yuuki could possibly be at." Asuna explained.

"Kirigaya-kun found out where Yuuki was? How did he manage to find out?" Shouzou asked, curious.

"He had been doing an investigation of his own on Yuuki. He wasn't 100% certain if Yuuki was there, but he deduced that it was possible that she was at where he described. And Kazuto-kun always had a keen eye for detail, especially in regards to the virtual world." Asuna explained with a slight tone of pride.

"That boy… He's always full of surprises." Shouzou said, impressed. Asuna nodded. After all, it was one of the reason she loved him.

"So, after school, I went to the place Kazuto-kun told me to go… Yokohama North General Hospital…" Asuna said, bracing herself, for she knew that the next part of her story would not be pleasant.

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for this chapter. Next chapter will be more emotional as Asuna reveals Yuuki's secret to her family.**

 **Please send me either a PM or leave a review if you want to take a guess at how this story will unravel. I have the entire general storyline planned from start to end. I just need to write them down, that's all.**

 **Thanks again for reading my story.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	5. Looking Back - Part 3

**A/N: Hello, readers. I'm back with the 5** **th** **chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. I'm sorry it took even longer than last time to upload this chapter. To compensate that, this chapter is about 5k words long. This chapter will once again contain details that were omitted from the anime version.**

 **My internship period is over and I have about a month off before going back to University to study this fall. I'll try to use that time to write as much as I can.**

 **Also, I love you guys! 1000 views and 12 favorites! Thank you for taking your time to read this story! I'm always open for constructive criticism on the reviews. Again, if you liked it, please leave a review!**

 **To 'Autistic-Grizzly': After reading this chapter, you think that this one was sad? Wait until the next chapter. And yes, Kyouko will have to understand… and more.**

 **To 'jokerk118': What can I say? Gotta keep the readers in suspense… kkk. And also, I was already planning on using your idea, but not with Kazuto and it wouldn't be as extreme as your example. Lastly, this was my last week for my intern so I was kind of busy. Plus, it was my birthday on the 9th, so my friends and I were celebrating. But I am doing my best to upload faster.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO or its characters! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei!**

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Chapter 5: Looking Back - Part 3

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"So, after school, I went to the place Kazuto-kun told me to go… Yokohama North General Hospital…" Asuna continued.

"Hospital?" Shouzou asked. He had a feeling that Asuna's story was about to take an unpleasant turn.

"Kazuto-kun explained to me how he had deduced Yuuki's location afterwards. When he dueled with Yuuki, he noticed that her reaction speed was far superior to his own. But her reaction speed was simply impossible with an Amusphere… no, even the first generation NerveGear wouldn't be able to grant her such speed. The only explanation for her speed was that she was using a virtual reality device that gave off electromagnetic pulses several times stronger than the NerveGear. And there was only one such device that Kazuto-kun knew that did just that: The Medicuboid. And he told me that that hospital was the only place in the country to run the clinical test of it." Asuna explained.

"Medicuboid? I think I remember hearing of it in passing. A VR technology designed for medical purposes, was it?" Shouzou said.

"Yes… And he told me that that hospital was the only place in the country that ran the clinical testing for it. When I arrived at the hospital, I didn't know exactly what to ask the front desk. After all, the only thing I knew about Yuuki was her ALO avatar name. At this point, I was hoping that Yuuki wasn't there. When I asked the receptionist to let me meet the tester of the Medicuboid, I'm sure that that was the last thing they were expecting me to ask. But to my surprise, another nurse beside the one I talked to asked for my name and told me to wait for a moment on the bench and that the doctor in charge of Yuuki would come to meet her. It looked like Kazuto-kun's deduction was right on the mark. Yuuki was there…"

"About 10 minutes later, the doctor in charge of Yuuki, Kurahashi-sensei came. He was really surprised that I was able to find the place in the first place. So we went to the lounge upstairs to talk in detail about Yuuki. So, we sat down and talked about Yuuki. Apparently, for the last few days, Yuuki had always talked to Kurahashi-sensei about me, but would always start crying afterwards. And apparently she wasn't someone that would reveal her own weakness… He said that she wanted to befriend me more, but may not be able to do so."

"At this point, I asked why that was the case. Why Yuuki said we couldn't meet again… Then sensei said that they should start talking about the Medicuboid in detail. For people that have physical disabilities, virtual reality is a blessing for them because they give the users the senses that they wouldn't have in the real world. But the uses of virtual reality in the medical field wasn't just the fact that it can convey signals to the brain, but cancel them as well."

"Electromagnetic pulses that are sent to the spinal cord would have effects similar to a total body paralysis. So, if the Amusphere is used during a surgery, they can avoid using an anesthetic. But the problem was that the Amusphere, or even the NerveGear's electromagnetic pulses aren't strong enough to cancel out the nerves inside during the surgery. But the Medicuboid was exactly that… a modified VR technology that sends electromagnetic pulses strong enough to cancel out the spinal reflex. So the patient using it can return to society through the VR world. At first it sounded like a dream come true machine… But even a machine has its limitations." Asuna said as she remembered the bittersweet smile Kurahashi had on his face when he explained the concept of the Medicuboid.

"At this point, sensei asked me if I really wanted to know about Yuuki, despite her insistence on not knowing. He said that he wouldn't blame me if I chose not to. After all, Yuuki and her friends had made their decisions to stay away from me for my sake… But my decision was final. I could already tell that what I was about to hear about Yuuki was going to be unpleasant. But I needed to talk to her. To know the reason she called me nee-chan… no matter what. So I decided to hear the rest of the story. Whatever I would hear, I would face it straight on. I felt like I had to." Asuna explained, determined.

Her family members looked at each other, surprised at her decision to hear the rest of the story. They had known Asuna to be someone that had second thoughts or hesitate when a crucial decision had to be made. It was quite rare for her to show such conviction or focus when it came to making her own decisions. Even when she did want to make a decision of her own, if Shouzou or Kyouko (especially Kyouko) disagreed with her, Asuna had never talked about the subject any further, scared to face her parent's disappointment (or anger in some cases with Kyouko).

For Kyouko, when Asuna had asked her to come to ALO with her for the first time, she had refused, thinking that whatever she had to say would just be a waste of time if she couldn't talk about it in the real world. But when Asuna insisted on the matter, she was surprised because it was so rare for her to be so insistent. So she had relented and went to ALO to hear her daughter's mind.

At this point, Kyouko started to suspect that Yuuki had played a part in her determination at the time. Did she really mean so much to Asuna?

"Yuuki had told Kurahashi-sensei to explain everything to me if I was willing to listen. So, on our way… to her ward… he explained… Yuuki's story…" When she started to recall Kurahashi telling her of the tragedy Yuuki and her family suffered through, she started to lose her composure again and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Asuna, don't force yourself. You can stop if you don't want to tell us… Please…" Her father said. They got the idea. Yuuki's story was a tragic one. The only question was how bad Yuuki's condition was. Her mother and brother were also at a loss of what to do. Just how bad was it to make Asuna break down like this?

But no… Asuna had to keep going… She had to…

"Yuuki was born on May 2011. But due to difficult birth a C-section had to be ordered. And Yuuki's mother lost a lot of blood during the process, so an emergency transfusion had to be implemented. But the blood used for it was… contaminated." Her family gasped at this. If they didn't already feel like Yuuki's story was going to be a sad one, they sure did now.

"According to sensei, infection through blood transfusion was an extremely rare chance of 1 in 100,000 chance, but with modern science, it was impossible to drop that value to 0. Even I could feel his anger and helplessness when he told me this…"

"Yuuki was most likely infected the moment she was born. And by the time the infection was discovered, it was too late. The whole family had been infected." Her family listened on, helpless.

"When we arrived at Yuuki's room, it turned out to be a sterile room with its lights off. I couldn't go inside… When sensei turned the lights on… I saw a young girl lying on the hospital bed with all sorts of devices around her body. Her skin deathly pale and skinny…. That was Yuuki in the real world… I couldn't believe it…" Asuna said, her voice shaking once again.

"W… What exactly was Yuuki ill with?" Her father asked.

"AIDS…" Asuna answered. It was a short yet heavy answer.

"What?"

"My goodness…"

"Oh man…"

Shouzou, Kyouko, and Kouichirou said respectively, visibly horrified.

"According to Kurahashi-sensei, AIDS wasn't as terrifying an illness as people may think. If detected early and receive proper treatment and medications, the symptoms can be delayed for a very long time and even be able to live a normal life. But that wasn't the case for Yuuki. The virus she was infected with was a drug-resistant variant. So the medication did little to help her."

"Yuuki's mother despaired for her future and apparently, she even considered suicide once…" her family's eyes widened at this.

"But Yuuki's family was a Christian, so in the end, she decided to fight the illness with her family. They kept praying and hoped that they could overcome the illness…"

"Fight… the illness...?" Kouichirou said uncertainly. Asuna nodded.

"Eh… From the moment she was born, Yuuki had to fight the illness. She was given multi-drug therapy soon after birth. But for a young child like her, it's hard to take a lot of medications at regular intervals. And the medicines she was taking were known to have powerful side effects too."

"But once the most critical moment passed, Yuuki was able to grow up safely and even enter elementary school. When she was in school, she was hard working, and even got top grades in all of her classes as well. She had lots of friends as well. And it looked like she was able to live a normal life after all… but…" Asuna paused, trying to find the words to explain further. Her family patiently waited.

"The school didn't know that Yuuki was an HIV carrier. And… during her 4th grade, a group of parents of students had somehow found out that she was a carrier. And before they knew it, the rumor had instantly spread through the whole school. It was illegal to discriminate against carriers just because they were infected with HIV, but the sad truth is that society isn't as kind or understanding as they should be… At first, it started off with people protesting against her coming to school to study. But later, it escalated to prank calls and letters and so on… Her family tried their best, but in the end, Yuuki was forced to transfer to another school."

"But what was even crueler was that at the moment when Yuuki was ready to go to her new school, her immune system had suddenly collapsed. In other words, the AIDS symptom had started. Kurahashi-sensei always felt that the hurtful words from the parents and teachers in her previous school and their prejudice against her, as well as the emotional shock of being forced to transfer was what initiated her relapse in the first place." Asuna explained.

Her family took a moment to process the information given to them. Yuuki's situation was far worse than any of them had anticipated. They couldn't bring themselves to give a reaction.

"Yuuki was hospitalized about 3 ½ years ago from an illness called Pneumocystis Pneumonia. And even after she went through all that, she was still always smiling… Every day, she told sensei that she would never lose to the disease and she never complained even during the painful checkups…"

"But even in hospitals, there are a lot of viruses and bacteria. So even after hospitalization, Yuuki was infected with throat candida."

"At this point, I asked sensei why Yuuki had decided to use the Medicuboid. At the time when Yuuki was infected with throat candida, the Sword Art Online incident had begun. When the public was panicking because of it, there were even discussions of sealing off the FullDive Technology entirely. I'm sure Tou-san knows about that better than any of us here… But the government and some manufacturers had finished their research on using the NerveGear for medical purposes. In other words, the first Medicuboid prototype was completed and moved over to that hospital at that point."

"But the problem then was that even if they wanted to start a clinical trial, finding someone who was willing to take the risk of using a machine which emitted electromagnetic pulses several times stronger than the NerveGear had become exponentially difficult because of the SAO incident. Because after all, Medicuboid itself was a derivation of the NerveGear and nobody knew what the long-term effects of those electromagnetic pulses would be."

"Sensei also explained that the Medicuboid was a delicate machine and required a lot of careful maintenance. The machine had to be in a place where it was free of dust and germs. So when sensei heard about the Medicuboid, he gave Yuuki and her family a proposal: If she agreed to test out the Medicuboid, Yuuki could be put in a sterile room that would greatly reduce the risk of further infection."

"Even now, sensei always wondered if the proposal he made was for the best for Yuuki. Because there was a major downside in becoming the Medicuboid's test subject: She couldn't leave the sterile room. So Yuuki and her family spent a lot of time worrying about the proposal sensei made. But the deciding factor was most likely Yuuki's curiosity for the unknowns of the virtual world. So she agreed to become the Medicuboid's test subject and entered the room. And Yuuki's lived inside the Medicuboid ever since." Asuna said.

"Lived inside?" Kyouko asked.

"I mean that literally. Yuuki almost never returned to the real world. Or rather, she couldn't. During a hospice treatment, usually morphine would be used to ease the patient's pain, but for Yuuki, the Medicuboid's sensation canceller was used instead. In the meantime, Yuuki would travel in all kinds of virtual worlds. Yuuki was FullDiving 24 hours a day. And she's lived in the virtual world for 3 years straight. That's even longer than me and the other SAO survivors." Asuna said, her voice shaky.

The other three Yuuki's processed what they had just heard. They stayed on their spot, stunned. Kouichirou was the first to recover.

"But, the hospital was giving her other treatments other than the Medicuboid, right? You can still live even with the illness with proper treatment…" Kouichirou said with uncertainty. But Asuna shook her head.

"Even if she was in a sterile room, it was impossible to do anything about the viruses and bacteria that Yuuki was already infected with. With her immune system weakened, they would only grow… At the time, Yuuki had lost almost all of her eye sight and wasn't able to move her body on her own in the real world."

"Yuuki's condition was terminal. She herself was well aware of this. That's why she was trying to distance herself from me. She was scared of how I would react when I found out about her condition. Deep inside, Yuuki must have been terrified… Terrified that I may even turn my back on her when I learned the truth because she knew the pain of being rejected and disregarded all too well…" Asuna said with tears welling up again.

"Asuna…" Kouichirou said, not knowing what else to say to her.

"It all made sense… Yuuki's ridiculously quick reflexes, her crying and trying to keep her distance from me… It was all because of her whole situation and the Medicuboid…" Her family stayed silent, feeling truly sorry for Yuuki. Then, his father asked the following.

"But… At least she wasn't alone, right? Her family was still supporting her, weren't they?" At this question, Asuna answered.

"Yuuki had an older twin sister named Aiko. Although they weren't very similar, they got along well and according to Kurahashi-sensei, Yuuki would always look up to her. And that Aiko-san may have looked a bit like me…" Asuna trailed off. Shouzou raised his eyebrow at the use of the past tense.

"May have…? Wait. Does that mean…"

"Yuuki's parents passed away 2 years ago, and Aiko-san 1 year ago…" Asuna confirmed, her tears finally overflowing and she started to sob again. At this, her father let her lean onto him to let her cry, patting her back in a smoothing manner. Kyouko and Kouichirou soon did the same.

"When you said that she was in the hospital, I thought she just had some kind of illness… but this…" Kouichirou said, overwhelmed by the unfortunate tale of the Konno family.

"Asuna… Why didn't you tell us about this sooner? You said that you visited Yuuki on January. That was about 2 months ago. It must have been eating you up inside since finding out about her condition… so why did you keep it a secret from us?" Shouzou asked. Always having known his daughter to have the heart of an angel, he was sure Asuna would have cried for her and would have done anything to lessen her friend's turmoil. If they had known about this sooner, they would have been able to be there for her and give her the comfort she may have needed.

Asuna took a moment to compose herself and tried to come up with an answer to that question. But the answer she came up with was going to sound a bit hurtful to her mother. Was there a way to sugarcoat the answer a little bit? But then, Kouichirou answered for her.

"I think I know why. It was because of Kaa-san, wasn't it?" Kouichirou said, certain of his answer. Everyone's eyes were on Kyouko in an instant.

"Wa… watashi? (M… me?) What do you mean by that?" Kyouko asked, unsure of where this was going. Kouichirou sighed at this.

"Kaa-san, don't you get it? I'm going to be a bit blunt here, but you're not exactly the understanding type. You're so set on your own views and beliefs that you disregard what others think on a subject, even when it's your own family. And don't even try to deny it. With how you regarded Asuna's classmates in the SAO Survivor's School and your overall closed-minded attitude, I'm willing to bet that Asuna was scared of how you would react when you heard about Yuuki. And in the worst case scenario, that you might even forbid her from seeing Yuuki at all." Kouichirou pointed out. Kyouko sat at her seat, dumbfounded at her son's words.

"A… Asuna, is this true?" Kyouko asked, praying in her mind that Asuna would answer negative. Unfortunately for her Kouichirou had quite a knack for being able to tell his sister's true feelings and was rarely wrong on deducing what was on her mind. Asuna paused for a moment, pondering on whether she should be honest or not. After a few seconds of thinking, she decided to be honest and slowly nodded her head affirmative. Kyouko stayed where she was, completely stupefied.

When Asuna had revealed Yuuki's situation, she genuinely felt sorry for her and her family and did not hesitate to show it. Cold was one way to describe Kyouko, but she definitely wasn't heartless. If Asuna had explained Yuuki's situation as soon as she found out about it even she would have understood…. Or would she have? Reflecting on how cold and emotionless she had been to Asuna before going to ALO for the first time, she became more and more uncertain of whether she would have understood Yuuki's tragic story if she heard about it then. It was clear that her own children thought that she wouldn't have understood. And that fact alone was very hurtful indeed.

"I… I had no idea… I'm sorry… Asuna…" And she really meant it. Her voice was filled with shame and sorrow.

Asuna however didn't respond and a few seconds passed before she broke the silence by continuing her story. But even though it was a few seconds, the atmosphere was heavy, awkward and uncomfortable and it felt like an hour rather than a few seconds.

"Going back to my story… When I was in Sword Art Online, I witnessed the death of countless people. And even myself had looked at death in the eyes. So I thought that I knew and understood the meaning of life and death."

"I had only known Yuuki for a few days, but after learning about her past and present, I still couldn't accept such a heart-breaking reality. I always thought: " _I've already fought hard, so what's wrong with being insistent on a little bit of happiness?_ " This was why I was scared of change, didn't dare argue with others, and only thought of excuses for my cowardice and silence."

"But Yuuki… she had to fight ever since she was born. She always had to fight against a reality that was always trying to take everything away from her. Even though she knew she didn't have much time left, she was still able to smile genuinely."

"Yuuki had told me that there were some things that you can only share by fighting. So if I couldn't push my fear and my weak side away and talk with her, then all my efforts in finding her would have been for nothing."

"When Kurahashi-sensei finished his story, I could do nothing but cry for her. Then heard Yuuki's voice call out, telling me not to cry and she thanked me for coming. She'd been listening to my conversation with Kurahashi-sensei through the Medicuboid. She told me to log into ALO through the Amusphere in the next room and to meet her on the island where we first met. So I went there. I was so happy. I could finally meet her again and speak to her for real."

"When we met at the little island, I found Yuuki there too. She told me that she had a feeling that I would try to find her in the real world, but since she told me nothing, it would be impossible. But she was happy that I came to find her nonetheless, especially since it was rare for her wishes to come true."

"I couldn't hold back anymore. She was really there, face to face with me. So I just, embraced and held her, scared that she may be an illusion. Then Yuuki explained everything. About how much I reminded her of her late twin sister. She also played VRMMO alongside Yuuki. And she was the first leader of the Sleeping Knights. And according to Yuuki, Aiko-san was a lot stronger than herself…"

"Then Yuuki explained the background of the Sleeping Knights. They all met together in a virtual hospice called the "Serene Garden". Meaning that all of the members of the Sleeping Knights guild were people in similar predicament to Yuuki. Although their illnesses were different, in a broad sense, they were all in the same circumstances. So they decided to travel the virtual worlds together, play VR games and enjoy their lives to the fullest until the end. That was the reason they founded the Sleeping Knights."

"Originally, there were 9 members in the Sleeping Knights, but as time went on, 3 of the members had passed away. One of them being Yuuki's sister. So after much debate, the Sleeping Knights decided that when it was time for the next person to go, they would disband the guild. But not before making one last wonderful memory of their time together… to be able to tell the deceased members of the journey they had together and make them proud." Asuna explained without pausing much. Her family listened on.

"And then Yuuki apologized for not telling me the truth. The reason the Sleeping Knights were going to disband in the spring wasn't because they would be too busy with their lives. It was because two of their members had been declared by their doctors that they had at most 3 months left to live…" Asuna trailed off. Once again, her family gasped in horror.

"That was why the Sleeping Knights were desperate to have their names on the Monument of Swordsmen; to make one final memory in ALO, and to leave a mark or a proof that they once existed in that world. But it wasn't going as they planned. So they decided to find someone that could help them achieve their goal. Actually, some of the members objected the idea, fearing that if they found out their secret, it would only leave behind bad memories. And in the end, what they feared had really happened. So Yuuki asked me since it was unpleasant for me, to forget about them if possible. Yuuki's voice was trembling when she asked me that. No, there was no way I could or would ever forget about something like that! So I told her that I wouldn't. I never felt troubled by the Sleeping Knights, or think that the memories we made together were bad ones at all. I was really happy to have met and be able to help them. Even then I really wanted to join the Sleeping Knights." Asuna expressed her feelings like never before. Her family couldn't help but give a small smile, moved by her loyalty.

"Yuuki told me that she was happy to have come to ALO and meet me. And after everything that I told her, it was enough… that she had no more regrets anymore… that she was satisfied with everything…"

"So I told her that there must be a lot of things that she still wasn't able to do… all kinds of places that she hasn't visited yet… not just ALfheim, but other virtual worlds too… there still had to be an infinite amount of things that Yuuki wanted to do… At this question, Yuuki gave a mischievous smile, the same ones that she showed me several times before… Then she told me that during the past 3 years the Sleeping Knights had all kinds of adventures in countless different worlds. And that they want the last chapter of their adventure to be with me… So I asked if there was anything they want to do or visit… And what she answered next kind of caught me off guard…" Asuna said with a small smile.

"So, what did she say?" Kyouko asked, curious of her answer.

"She said that she wanted to go to school…"

"S… school?" The Yuuki's asked simultaneously. If you asked any other children, school would be the last place most of them would have wanted to go. And yet, there was Yuuki, wanting to go to the place most children disliked.

"Mmm… Yuuki had gone to a school in the virtual world, but it wasn't like the ones in the real world. So she wanted to go back to the kind of school that she went to before she was hospitalized… And even though she thought that it would be impossible, given her condition, she thanked me for the thought anyway."

"But then, I had an idea… and it just might work. And if it did, Yuuki would be able to go to school, with my and Kazuto-kun's help!" Asuna said. This idea raised her family's curiosity.

"So, what was the idea?" Shouzou asked her.

"Well, you see… At the time, Kazuto-kun was working on a project for his Mechatronics class…"

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 **A/N: That's it for the fifth chapter. The next chapter will be the last part of "Looking Back". And after that, the story will focus more on how her friends and family help comfort Asuna. This story isn't over by a long shot.**

 **One more thing: I will be going on a trip with my friends next week for about a week. So I'm not sure I can upload the next chapter before that, but I'll try my best to. But if I'm unable to upload it before the trip, then I'll most likely have it uploaded during September. So I hope you can be patient until then.**

 **Please feel free to leave a comment, or follow or favorite the story if you wish.**

 **Thank you for reading my story.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	6. Looking Back - Part 4

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back from my vacation with another chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. Two of my followers wanted me to make this chapter sad enough to make them cry, so here's an idea: Play certain SAO OST's at certain parts of the chapter. I'll tell you when to turn on which OST on this chapter.**

 **This chapter ended up being much longer than I expected; almost 6k words long! But I guess that's a good thing for you guys… With about 1650 views and 20 favorites, I can't thank you enough!**

 **This chapter also has a slight reference to the SAO Progressive arc. I suggest you read the first few pages of chapter 10.5 of the manga version before reading this chapter.**

 **To TangyErmine3: Thanks, and yes, I feel that the Light Novels provide us with the backstories needed for fanfic writers… Hope you like this chapter too!**

 **To joker118: Roger, although this is my very first fanfic, somehow I feel confident that I'll be able to grant that wish of yours. Let me know whether I was successful or not, k?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters, or the OST's. They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and the composer Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

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Chapter 6 - Looking Back – Part 4

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"Kazuto-kun was working on a project for his Mechatronics class. So, I asked him to prepare it for school the next day. And fortunately, with some modifications to the project he was working on, the project was suited just for our needs."

"Asuna. I know that I'm digressing here, but how exactly did Kirigaya-kun's project work?" Shouzou asked with curiosity.

At this question, Kouichirou and Kyouko gave him a slightly disapproving look, when it was only minutes ago when they all were feeling sorry for Yuuki and her family.

Shouzou knew that his daughter was still in the middle of telling her story, but as a former CEO of an electronic company, his curiosity for the future of technology was a big fascination for him. Plus, he felt like he should ask something to lighten the mood a bit.

"Tou-san, I don't think now is the best time to ask something like that…" Kouichirou said hesitantly. But Asuna was actually glad he asked.

"No, it's alright, Nii-san. I'm glad he asked, actually. I don't know the whole detail about it but Kazuto-kun called it an 'Audiovisual Bidirectional Communication Probe'. Its purpose was so that you could interact with the real world while still inside the virtual world using a web camera. The probe is connected to a cellphone to make use of the cellphone's wireless network so that it can connect with the virtual reality where Yuuki was. In other words, the camera and microphone on the probe would be used to collect the visual and audio data, pass it through the internet on my cellphone, and then send it to the Medicuboid and Yuuki. Yuuki could even turn her head to see where she wants to see and the probe's camera would follow her view and show her whatever was in that direction. With Kurahashi-sensei's permission, our little project of bringing Yuuki back to school had begun. When Kazuto-kun got the VR Probe working, he explained that Yuuki should be feeling as though she was 1/10 her original size and that she was sitting on my shoulder, because I had to put the probe on my shoulder to show Yuuki around." Asuna said fondly, not just because of Yuuki, but also because of Yui. When she, Kirito and Yui were relaxing in ALO, Yui, in her pixie form liked to sit on Asuna's shoulder quite a lot as well.

"It took a bit of time to calibrate the probe, but by the end of the lunch period, Kazuto-kun managed to have the probe up and running. You have no idea how thankful Yuuki was when Kazuto-kun managed it." Asuna finished her explanation on Kazuto's VR Probe.

"Hoo… That's impressive… For a kid that should be in about 3rd year of middle school (about grade 8 in North American standard I think…), that's really something." Kouichirou said. His father nodded in agreement.

"I know. Kazuto-kun's aunt told me once that when he was 6 years old, he had managed to build a fully functioning computer using spare parts all by himself, so his skill in technology only seemed to grow with time…" Asuna said proudly, remembering how his keen senses for technology had saved them all multiple times in SAO, ALO, GGO, and even in the real world.

When Asuna thought back to Kazuto's successful project, she was reminded of what she thought about the transfer back then. What it would have meant for her, Kazuto, and Yuuki as well.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "A sad quarrel".** )

"You know, during the time I met Yuuki and her guild, Kaa-san was planning to have me transfer to another school that a friend of hers owned. I objected to the idea in the first place, but after having Yuuki experience what our school was like, that feeling intensified. The other reason I was against transferring to another school was because of Yuuki. All of the students in SAO Survivor's School were all people that had lived in the virtual world for an extended period of time, so the staff and students alike would have been able to understand Yuuki's predicament better than anyone. Besides, after what Yuuki went through in her previous school before hospitalization, we couldn't take the chance of bringing Yuuki to the school mom was going to have me transfer to. All in all, the SAO Survivor's School was the best shot for Yuuki." Kyouko was surprised when she heard this. Asuna had been speaking not just for her own self when she said that she wanted to stay in her current school; she had been speaking for Yuuki's behalf as well.

( **A/N: I don't think this topic of Yuuki going to the transferred school was mentioned even in the light novel. This is something that I came up with. But you have to admit, it's a pretty legitimate one… If I'm wrong on this not being on the light novel, then please let me know.** )

"When Yuuki and I went to the staff office and explained her situation to them, things went smoother than we expected. And the teacher even allowed her to come to class anytime she wanted. So, when we went to the classroom, when everyone saw the probe on my shoulder, they were both curious and excited." Asuna reminisced with a small smile.

"The first class Yuuki and I went together was the National Language. And sensei had Yuuki read the book we were reading. At first, I was a little worried for Yuuki, since she hadn't been to school since grade 4, so I wondered if she could read a literature meant to be read for middle and high school students. But surprisingly, Yuuki was able to read the book with no problem. She had been studying on her own while traveling in the virtual world as well. Everyone was impressed with this. So after class, before we knew it, Yuuki had become the main topic for conversations in our class; in a good way of course… Afterwards, I gave her a tour around the school campus, and to our surprise, some of the students wanted show her around as well. They all seemed excited about it too. Yuuki said that she had the time of her life in her first day in school. And I was so glad to hear it too…" Asuna said sentimentally.

"And after school, Yuuki requested me to go to Hodogaya in Yokohama, a place called Tsukimidai. So I had to take the central subway line to the Western Tokyo area. We arrived at Hoshikawa Station at about 5:30 and had to walk for a few minutes. After passing through the marketplace area, we came to a residential area. I could tell, just from the sentimental tone in Yuuki's voice that we were visiting the place she used to call home." Asuna recalled how Yuuki reacted when she saw her home again in what it felt like forever.

"The house had white walls and green roof. While it looked smaller compared to the neighboring houses, it had a wide garden. Although Yuuki and her family only lived in that house for less than a year, Yuuki could remember each day of it so well. Yuuki and Aiko-san would often run about in the garden, have barbecues, and make bookshelves with their father. Even though they were sick, they were happy…" Asuna said. Then she remembered what she had felt during that time.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "You are not alone #2".** )

"You know, even though she was ill, I was really jealous of Yuuki… of her family life that is… I mean, think about it: we have wealth, a large house that has a garden bigger than Yuuki's house… What was the point of all that, when what I wanted the most was such a rare sight? Laughing together, playing together, or even cry together… We used to do that quite a lot when I was little… You have no idea how much I miss those times, before the pressures of school, and even marriage arrangements began… Most of the time, I would always be alone, playing house or drawing…"

"The Konno family, and even the Kirigaya family, even though they don't have the wealth or social standings we may have, they were happy, because they had each other… When I go to visit Kazuto-kun in his home, I could tell they were happy, just from their interaction together. Even though Kazuto-kun was adopted by his aunt and uncle, they still treated him like a son, and Suguha-chan, her brother. You might wonder why I seem to favor Kazuto-kun so much, but that's because he taught me many things, but most importantly, he taught me the importance of true friends and family. If his family and even Yuuki's family could be happy like that, then why couldn't we? Why can't we go back to those times when we really felt like family…?" Asuna trailed off. She meant every word of what she said. She missed the time her family was actually together to be with each other. Whenever she visited the Kirigaya residence, their interactions always gave her the sense of nostalgia that almost made her cry many times. The same went for the cabin in the forest that she shared with Kirito on floor 22 of New Aincrad, which reminded her so much of her maternal grandparents' house in Miyagi.

Her father, mother, and brother all looked at each other with guilty expressions. During Asuna's childhood before SAO, as they rose through their respective ranks in society, while they still cared for their family, their busy schedules would have them come home when it got dark. And in some cases, they had to stay overnight for work.

While her mother was an exception to this, as she returned by 6:00 PM at the latest in most cases, her cold demeanor had always discouraged Asuna from voicing her desires for a closer family relationship, fearing that her mother may dismiss it as a childish thought. So up until January, Asuna had kept her desire to herself.

Her father on the other hand, before SAO, he was the CEO of Recto Inc., which meant that he was busy at most times, so Asuna had tried her best to not disturb her father during work. But after he resigned as CEO, she thought that he may use the spare time he now had to spend time with his family. But to her dismay, sometime after the main Recto branch had barely managed to avoid bankruptcy after Sugou's diabolical experiments were brought to light, her father had taken on the work of Recto's shipment management to keep himself busy.

( **A/N: As for Kouichirou, well, if you read chapter 3, you'd know what kept him busy…** )

"A… Asuna, we're really sorry… it's just… that thought never occurred to us somehow…" Shouzou apologized to his daughter. Kyouko and Kouichirou followed suit in apologizing. Asuna shook her head at this.

"Mmm, don't be. It's my fault for not having the courage to say what I wanted."

"Anyway, going back to my story, unfortunately, the house that Yuuki showed me was going to be torn down. Her relatives were debating over whether they should remake it into a convenience store or sell the land entirely. So she wanted to see that house one more time before that happened. Even if the house disappeared, the memories that Yuuki and her family spent in it would never be forgotten…" She then remembered suggesting Yuuki to marry someone she liked when she became 16, so that that person could continue protecting that house for her. This then lead to her suggesting Yuuki to marry Jun, which Yuuki protested, laughing and saying that he was still a kid. Then she jokingly suggested that they should get married. Of course she knew that Yuuki was joking, but still, Asuna had to sweat-drop at that joke.

( **A/N: There are theories on the internet and even on fanfictions that Yuuki is homosexual. For your note, I don't buy that theory one bit. I just think that she's an extra-affectionate girl.** )

"It was just like Ojii-chan and Obaa-chan's house in Miyagi. Even though their house no longer exists, I'll always remember every moment I spent there…" Asuna said nostalgically.

Kyouko thought back to her childhood when she was young. For the longest time, she didn't think of her childhood in Miyagi to be a fond one, but that had changed 3 months ago. After her talk with Asuna, Kyouko had grown to appreciate the memory of her late parents. After all, they had always thought of her as their treasure, even though she herself had tried to distance herself from them.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "You are not alone #3".** )

"Then Yuuki told me… whenever the pain from the medication became too much to bear, her mother would always pray for her and Aiko-san, and always tell them that Kami-sama (God) never gave them suffering that they couldn't endure. Yuuki said that she was dissatisfied with just that, because she wanted to hear her mother's words, not the Bible's… But when she saw her house again, she understood. Her mother was actually trying to talk to them all the time. It wasn't the words themselves, but her mother was trying to convey her feelings through her words… She kept praying for them so that they could live their lives to the fullest until the end… I could just picture the scene… Yuuki, her sister, and their mother praying before the altar in their church…"

"At this point, I decided to tell her what was on my mind… about my relationship with Kaa-san… I've been unable to hear Kaa-san's voice for so long… Even when we're face to face with each other, I couldn't see what was on her mind. It always felt like I was talking to a wall when I talk with her… It felt like she never even bothered to understand my words… So I asked her, what I should do to be like her… She never let what other people think bother her, unlike me. She always seemed so natural at that. What makes her so strong, I asked…"

"At this, Yuuki answered that she wasn't strong at all… When she was in the real world, she often felt that she was acting someone she wasn't. She knew her parents always felt sorry for having them be born under such terrible circumstances, so she felt like she had to act energetic and cheerful, to pretend that everything was fine with her… Maybe it was because of that that she could only express herself once she entered the Medicuboid. Maybe she was someone that hated everything around her, screaming and crying about it all day long…"

"But then, later she thought that it was alright to act… even if she pretended to be strong, it was alright… If it means that she could spend more time smiling, it would be just fine… She knew that she didn't have much time left, so she felt that when she interacted with others, it would be a waste of time trying to figure out the people's feelings all the time. She might as well just present her real self to them and say exactly what she's feeling. Even if they don't like her for it, it was alright, because it wouldn't change the fact that she was close to their hearts…"

"And she also said that the reason we became so close in a matter of days wasn't because of her, but me. Even when she tried to run away from me, I was persistent and tried to find her. When I found her in the hospital the day before, she could understand my feelings completely… When she found out that I had no intention of abandoning her just because she was ill, she was so happy that she cried…"

"So, she told me to try and use that feeling to talk with Kaa-san. She said that if I can share how I feel, she'd definitely be able to understand. To ignore everything else and just focus on understanding her feelings and let her understand mine… She said that I hit her with everything I had, so she decided to trust me with everything… that's what Yuuki told me to… So, that night, when I went home after saying goodbye to Yuuki, I did exactly as she told me. I asked Kaa-san to come see my world in ALO so that we could talk… and… you should know what happened next…"

Kyouko thought back to that day she heard her daughter's heart in what felt like forever. She was right… Yuuki had something, or rather, everything to do with Asuna's newfound tenacity back then. Thanks to that, her relationship with her daughter had become noticeably smoother, for which she was internally thankful for.

"And after I convinced Kaa-san to not have me transferred to another school, for the next few months, me and my friends, along with the Sleeping Knights met together quite often and did all kinds of things together, both in ALO and the real world. Those times seemed to go by so quickly and before I knew it, it was already the end of March. And during those times, Yuuki had been telling me that her condition was getting notably better. So I thought that Yuuki just might be able to survive the illness after all… But… earlier today, I got a message from Kurahashi-sensei saying that Yuuki's health had deteriorated... So I quickly got ready and left for the hospital after messaging my friends about this…" Her family exchanged worried looks at each other once more. Asuna had already said that Yuuki had passed away earlier today. So now they would hear how she passed on…

"When I did arrive at the hospital, most of the machines that were used to moniter Yuuki had been moved into the hallway. When I came into Yuuki's room, the door to the sterile room was open and sensei and a few nurses were inside. With just that, I got the message… there was nothing else that could be done. Sensei told me that Yuuki's heart had stopped 40 minutes ago, but they barely managed to get her pulse back with defibrillator and medication. But if it happened again, then they couldn't do anything about it… I knew that her case was terminal, but after all the improvements she had made, after all she suffered through, I thought that she just might be recovering after all… But sensei told me that ever since my first visit in January, Yuuki was already in a state where a sudden relapse could have happened at any time…"

"But for the past 3 months, Yuuki surprised the doctors by winning an impossible battle everyday… she really gave it her all… For Yuuki, her short 15 years of life had been one long battle… and it wasn't just against the HIV… for so long, she had been fighting against a harsh reality and against herself. And the Medicuboid clinical trials had likely caused her unbelievable amount of pain… but Yuuki still persisted and fought anyway… So, sensei told me that we should let her rest now…"

( **A/N: Play the OST: "At our parting."** )

"I couldn't believe it… the Absolute Sword, Zekken… I kept praying that it wasn't so… for her to lose to the illness she fought for 15 years…"

"Then, at that moment… Yuuki opened her eyes and tried to move her hands. Her eyes that should have been grey from losing their light were still shining weakly as they looked at me… Sensei asked me to hold her hand, so I did… Her hands were so thin and unbelievably cold… But when she clasped onto my hands tightly, I suddenly felt like I had an epiphany or something… I could understand what she wanted: To go back to the virtual world once more. So I asked sensei to do just that. In the meantime, I used the Amusphere next door to log in to ALO to… to say goodbye…" Asuna trailed off. Her family could do nothing but listen on as her story was about to reach a heart-breaking conclusion.

* * *

 **Flashback: Earlier that day, ALO, New Aincrad, 24** **th** **floor, Island of Panareze.**

Asuna flew to the little island where she knew Yuuki was waiting her. She knew that this meeting would probably be the last in this world and she was all torn up inside… but she couldn't show that weakness to Yuuki… After all, during her 15 years of hardship, Yuuki had never given up or shown weakness, no matter how bad things got. So when she landed on the island and made Yuuki be aware of her presence, Asuna forced a small smile.

"Arigatou, Asuna… I forgot something important. There's something that I have to give you…" Yuuki said, returning the smile. Her voice was as cheery as before, but it was noticeably weaker and trembling ever so slightly. It was as if Yuuki was using all of her strength just trying to talk.

"Nani? (What is it?) What did you want to give me?" Asuna asked, trying to sound cheerful.

"Etto ne… (Hang on…) I'm making it right now, wait a moment…" Yuuki said as she operated her window. When it disappeared, she drew her sword, facing away from Asuna and towards the giant tree.

She paused for a moment before she reacted. Her sword glowed a reddish purple, indicating that she was about to unleash her legendary 11-combo skill. With a loud yell, Yuuki gave 5 consecutive thrusts, then another 5, and then finally delivered a last powerful strike, resulting in a loud explosion. After the explosion settled down, a small scroll appeared. Yuuki reached out to grab it.

But once she grabbed the scroll, Yuuki collapsed, as if all of her strength had left her.

"Yuuki?!" Asuna shouted in concern and ran to catch her friend. As she did, Yuuki's sword fell beside them with a clatter. Yuuki soon opened her eyes slowly, and gave a calm smile.

"Hendana… (It's strange…) It doesn't hurt, but… I feel so weak for some reason…" Yuuki murmured.

"Daijyobuu… (It's alright…) You're just tired, that's all. Just rest a little. You'll be fine when you do…" Asuna told her, but she was just trying to convince herself that Yuuki would be fine.

"Unn… Asuna, take this… it's my Original Sword Skill…" Yuuki said weakly, holding out the little scroll.

"You're giving it to me?" Asuna asked.

"Mmm… I want you to have it… Saa, open your window…" Yuuki requested. Asuna did as she asked. Yuuki inserted the OSS scroll into Asuna's window.

"The name of that skill… is… 'Mother's Rosario'… I hope that it'll help protect you, Asuna…" When Asuna heard this, her tears finally landed on Yuuki's chest.

"Arigatou, Yuuki… I promise, when my time comes to leave this world someday, I'll pass this skill over to someone else… Your sword… will live on forever…" Asuna said, trying to keep her voice clear.

"Unn… Arigatou…" Yuuki nodded.

Then, they both heard several fluttering of wings. They looked up to see the remainder of the Sleeping Knights running over to them after landing on the island. They kneeled down and formed a semi-circle around them.

"Nandayo, minna… (What's with you guys…) we promised that we wouldn't say goodbye to each other when our time came…" Yuuki said, looking slightly troubled.

"We're not here to say goodbye. We're here to cheer you on! It'll do us no good if you're lonely up there, in heaven… You won't have to wait too long. We'll join you soon enough…" Jun said has he reached out to hold Yuuki's right hand.

"What are you talking about…? If you come too early, I'll get mad…" Yuuki told Jun. At this, Nori clicked her tongue as if she was about to give her a lecture.

"Tsk. Tsk. Dame, dame (No, no)… You can't do anything without us, Yuuki… So just shut it… and… and… uu, ugh…"

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Looking back on those days".** )

Nori started out cheerfully, but in the middle of her sentence, Nori's voice suddenly cracked horribly, unable to contain her grief as her tears started falling.

"No, Nori-san… We promised that… we wouldn't cry…" Siune said. She was in no position to say this however, as she too had tears falling down her cheeks as Nori sobbed.

Talken and Tecchi could do nothing but reach out to hold her hand with theirs, their attempts to suppress their sobbing becoming weaker by the moment.

"I guess it can't be helped… I'll be waiting, so take as much time as you need… alright?" Yuuki said weakly, smiling tearfully as the rest of her friends followed Talken and Tecchi's actions, all of them nodding their heads.

At this moment, they all heard multiple fluttering of wings again. Looking up, the Sleeping Knights saw familiar faces that had accompanied them throughout their final adventures during the last few months. Kirito and company had all shown up. Knowing the gravity of the situation, they all took turns in paying their respects to Yuuki. Klein started, then Sinon, and all the way up to Leafa, Kirito and Yui.

After Kirito and Yui finished their farewells, they all felt a soft breeze blowing at them, along with the sound of more wings; and not just one or two either. When they turned to the direction the breeze was coming from, they saw the unthinkable: Fairies of all 9 races in ALfheim were heading their way to Panareze, with each of the fairy race leaders leading the way. There were so many of them that they were almost covering the entire sky. There must be more than 1000 people present on Panareze. It was as if every player logged onto ALO had come for them. Even the members of the guild that had used them as guinea pigs for the boss raids had shown up.

"Aah… sugoi… (amazing…) there are so many fairies…" Yuuki almost whispered in amazement.

"Gomenne… (I'm sorry…) I thought you might get upset with this, but I had Lisbeth call them all over for this…" Asuna said as the players that were the first to arrive landed on the island, gathered around Yuuki and Kirito's group and knelt down as a sign of respect. The rival guild also did the same. There were so many players present that the island was filled with kneeling players within seconds and many others resorted to floating around the island.

"No, I'm not upset at all… But… why, though…? Why are they all here…? Am I dreaming…?" Yuuki asked.

"Datte… datte… (Because… because…)"

( **A/N: Play the OST: "You are not alone".** )

"Yuuki… You're the strongest swordswoman in this world… There never will be someone that will be as good as you. We can't let you have… such a lonely goodbye… Everyone here is praying for you, that your next journey would be as wonderful as this…" Asuna said as another tear dropped.

"Urushii… Boku, urushiiyo… (I'm happy… I'm, so happy…)" Yuuki said as she smiled weakly. She took a deep breath and started a soliloquy.

"I always, always wondered… I was born to die, so what was the reason for me to exist in this world? I couldn't create anything meaningful or help others. I could only waste so much medicines and machinery, causing the people around me and myself nothing but trouble, all the while suffering and worrying… and if I'm just going to end up dying in the end, it'd be better that I die now… I thought that so, so many times…" Yuuki said, her voice becoming weaker and cracking more and more. Some of the girls present were already starting to cry.

"Why am I alive… I always wondered… But… but, you know… I feel like I've finally found the answer: Even if there is no meaning… it's alright to be alive… because my final moments is so… so fulfilling…" Yuuki wheezed. She took another breath to finish her last words.

"Because I can end my journey surrounded by so many people, and in the arms of the person I love…" Yuuki closed her eyes as she finished her soliloquy. Asuna finally let her tears fall.

"I… I'll see you again… In some other place, in some other world… we'll definitely see each other again… And when we do, promise me you'll tell me what you found in that world, alright?" Asuna said, as another tear fell onto Yuuki's closed eye.

Yuuki opened her eyes in which she knew would be her last time doing so. She then saw her beloved sister Aiko smiling down at her. Happy that she would meet her again very soon, Yuuki let her tears fall.

Asuna then she heard Yuuki's voice in her mind.

 _'Boku… boku gambatte ikita… Kokode… ikitayo! (I… I did my best to live… I… really lived here!)'_ Yuuki thought. She then slowly let her eyes close, then flew higher than her wings could take her to rejoin her family and friends, all the while remembering the fond memories she made with Asuna and the rest of her friends.

 **Flashback end**

* * *

When Asuna finished her tale on how Yuuki had passed on, her family was once again at a loss for words. Asuna at this point was shaking in tears uncontrollably, her most recent pain of losing a precious friend only hours ago coming back in full force once more. Even they could feel the pain just by looking at Asuna's current state. All in all, it was heartbreaking to see.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Tears for you". Such a fitting title for this scene…** )

"Oh, Asuna… I'm so sorry…" Kyouko said as she put her hand on her back to try and stop her from crying, but of course, to no avail. Asuna threw herself into her mother's arms and started pouring her pain out.

"Why?! Why did she have to go like this…?! She'd become someone like a little sister to me…! She was just 15 years old…! She still had a whole life ahead of her…! Both Yuuki and her sister…! Why did she and her family have to suffer like they did…?! What was the point…?! Why did Kami-sama (God) have to be so cruel…?! Why is she gone… when I'm still here, alive and well…?! Doushite…?! (Why…?!)" Asuna went on, her voice crescendo-ing to a heart-breaking wail.

There were several times Kyouko could remember Asuna crying, but two occasions in particular, she could remember vividly. One was during her childhood where Asuna had lost her teddy bear that she had asked Kyouko to choose for her, and the other, during her parent's funeral, as she loved going to their home in Miyagi.

Just hearing the news of someone precious to you dying was painful enough, but to actually witness that person dying right in front of you, in your arms no less… the pain must have been unfathomable. Even Kyouko could understand that…

"Shh… It's okay… it's okay, Asuna… But, if it's like you said, then at least now, she's not suffering anymore… She's with her family now… She must be happy now… so don't cry…" Kyouko said in her attempts to comfort her daughter in her arms, all the while patting her back soothingly, which was how she had comforted her when she was younger. When she remembered the last time she had done so, it was to comfort her after losing her favorite teddy bear that was more than just a toy to Asuna at the time. Even she could understand that the pain of losing a childhood toy would be miniscule when compared with the pain of a friend she cared for dying in her arms.

"Yuuki…! Yuuki…!" Asuna sobbed in her mother's arms. At this, Kouichirou and Shouzou also embraced her, wanting to do anything to dull Asuna's emotional pain. As this went on, Kyouko felt a single tear dropping down her face as she remembered her own sadness when her parents had passed and how her husband had understood her pain and stayed by her side. Fellow sufferers have pity for each other… now she felt like she could understand Asuna's pain; even more so than before. So now, it was her turn to stay by her daughter's side when she was in pain, as any family would have done.

As Asuna continued crying, and her family mourning for her friend with her, the rain continued to pour down outside their house; with no thunder or lightning, just the noise of raindrops. It was as if heaven itself was mourning silently with them for losing such a radiant soul.

* * *

 **A/N: That's that… I'm sure you guys wanted a sad one this chapter, and 2 readers in particular asked me to make them cry this chapter. If you read through this chapter, then tell me whether or not I was able to do as you requested.**

 **If you guys haven't notice already, the arrangements of the OSTs should be pretty similar to that of the anime version.**

 **For me, when I first saw Yuuki's death scene, I was able to hold it in for the most part, but at the end when Yuuki saw her sister smiling down at her and the OST timing the scene perfectly; that was when I lost it… In essence, seeing a sad scene alone isn't enough to make me cry, it's the scene together with a fitting OST that makes me lose control, and Yuuki's death together with the OST "You are not alone" was no exception. Let me know what you guys thought about this chapter and tell me when you first saw ep 24 of SAO season 2 you lost control of your emotions… :').**

 **Also, tell me if playing the OST while reading this chapter had the effect that I desired in the reviews. If you liked me doing it, then I'll continue to do the OST part in the future chapters as well.**

 **Lastly, University resumes on the 14** **th** **for me, so expect considerable delays in the future updates, as I need to focus on my course loads. I'll try to post the 7** **th** **chapter before school resumes, but no promises, though… Once again, thank you for reading my story and see you in the next chapter.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	7. To Feel Like a Family

**A/N: Hello, guys, KiritoIRL back with the 7** **th** **chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. I managed to get this chapter done right before class starts!**

 **Unfortunately, I won't be able to write too much when class starts again, as this term is expected to be a busy one. So it could be months before I upload the 8** **th** **chapter. But please bear with me! I'll write when I have the time! Though they will most likely be short chapters…**

 **And also, I'm glad that I was able to meet up with your expectations last chapter. Most of you seemed like you cried reading it! It looks like my writing together with the OSTs really worked better than I thought. So, I'll take that as you liked it and use them in this chapter and the future chapters too.**

 **A shout out to several authors and their KiriSuna stories:**

\- **joker118's "Zekken – The Sleeping Knight"**

\- **KittenofthePastries's "SAO: The After Story"**

\- **TheSib's "Secrets Revealed" and "SAO: Wedding Bells"**

\- **momoxtoshiro's "Moments" and "The Miracle of Loving You"**

 **If you haven't read their stories already, I recommend that you do. Don't forget to leave a review! I'll see you guys next time. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters or the OSTs! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 7 – To Feel Like a Family

* * *

After quite a while, Asuna had calmed down considerably. But her eyes were still red and puffy and she was hiccupping a little.

Kyouko looked at the clock and saw that it was past 8 PM.

"Asuna, I know that you're really not up for it, but… you need to eat something." Kyouko said softly. It was way past her usual dinner time.

Asuna wasn't really hungry, as all of her hunger was forgotten from her sadness, but since her family had actually stayed to the end to listen to her tale, she decided to listen and eat.

"Mmm… Okay…" Asuna nodded as she sniffled.

"Good… Go wash your face and then come down, alright? I'll ask Sada-san to warm something up." Shouzou said. Asuna gave another nod silently and rose up to head towards her bathroom.

As Asuna exited her room, her family stayed inside.

"Haa… Some story she's told us, huh?" Kouichirou said sighed sadly.

"Yes… To think that Asuna went through something like this…" Kyouko answered.

"She looked so happy recently… If only we knew… I just wish that we knew about Yuuki-kun sooner… We should have been there for Asuna…" Shouzou lamented.

"In any case, it looks like I chose a good time to take a break from work… Asuna needs us now…" Kouichirou said. He had come back home because he felt like he had been away from home for too long so he had gotten a 2 week off from work.

"Yes, you're right… Let's give her some time to recover… With her grades, I think she can afford a small rest…" Shouzou said. Kyouko gave a small nod silently.

"Okay… Let's call it a day and go downstairs… And… let's be there for her when she needs us, alright?" Kouichirou said. His parents agreed to this.

"Right… I'm sorry, you two, but… as much as I want to stay longer, I have some work I need to finish… Well, good night…" Kyouko said, exiting with reluctance.

Kouichirou left Asuna's room to go downstairs. Shouzou was about to leave her room when he heard Asuna's cellphone ringing, indicating that she had a phone call. He picked it up to see that the caller was non-other than "Kirigaya Kazuto". Pondering for a second whether he should answer the call for Asuna, he decided to answer, since Asuna was still in the toilet washing herself.

"Moshi moshi?" Shouzou said as he took the call.

"Aa…" Kazuto responded, surprised when he heard Asuna's father's voice. He double checked the number to see that he had indeed called Asuna's mobile phone.

"Gombanwa (Good evening), Yuuki-san…" Kazuto said politely, recovering from his surprise.

"Evening, Kirigaya-kun… I know you called for Asuna, but she'll be eating after washing herself…" Shouzou said in a concerned tone.

"Judging from the tone of your voice, I'm guessing Asuna's already told you about what happened earlier today…" Kazuto deduced.

"Yes… Yes she did… I've never seen her cry like this… And with everything that happened with Yuuki-kun, it's understandable…" Shouzou answered sadly.

"I was calling to tell Asuna something, but… I guess I called at a bad time… Sumimasen… (I'm sorry…)."

"No, no, don't be sorry, you called with concern for Asuna in mind. I'm grateful for that… and I'm sure she will be too… But what did you want to tell her exactly? I somehow have a feeling that you have more than just comforting words in mind…" Shouzou said.

"Yes… I would have called as soon as she logged out, but I had to stay online to do something for Yuuki. After she logged out, I needed to talk with some friends who owned the 'MMO Today' news website and tell them the full story about Yuuki and her guild." He was, of course, talking about Thinker and Yulier, as they had also been present during Yuuki's final moments.

"And… also, me and my friends contacted the Game Masters to request a few things: One, to make Yuuki's makeshift grave marker that Asuna made to be an 'Immortal Object', and two, to make a memorial for Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights, her guild. And as it turned out, we weren't the only ones making such requests. Right now, the VRMMO community site is in an uproar, especially ALO. They requested something similar to the Game Masters, so they announced that they will erect a memorial for Yuuki as requested… So, please tell Asuna that in a few days, the memorial will be ready… I'm sure she'll be happy to know that Yuuki won't be forgotten anytime soon…" Kazuto said softly.

"Aah… I see… Alright, I'll be sure to tell her. She'll be happy about this, I'm sure of it…" Shouzou said, grateful to have found something to cheer his daughter up.

"Great. Thank you for understanding." Kazuto said in gratitude.

"My dear boy, I should be thanking you for thinking of Asuna all this time. Asuna's going to need all the help she can get, so please make sure you and your friends help her too." Shouzou requested.

"Of course sir. Oh, and speaking of that, I almost forgot. Please tell Asuna to come to the Dicey Café after school tomorrow. We'll be meeting everyone else there." Kazuto explained.

"Alright, I'll tell her."

"Thank you, Yuuki-san. Then, good night."

"Good night." With this, they both hung up the phone. Shouzou got up to leave. After leaving Asuna's phone on her desk, Shouzou left the room and went down to the kitchen.

When he arrived, Sada had just about finished cooking something for Asuna.

"Oh, you're already cooking something; good." Shouzou said to her.

"Hai… Kouichirou-sama told me what happened to Asuna-sama's friend, so I thought I should cook something for her since she hadn't eaten anything…" Sada said.

"Thank you. I was going to ask you to do just that." Shouzou said appreciatively.

A few minutes later, just when Sada had brought the food over to the table, Asuna came down to eat with Kouichirou following suit.

"Here, Ojou-sama… Please eat." Sada requested. Asuna silently complied.

Asuna picked up her eating utensils and started eating her supper, albeit a little slower than usual. Shouzou decided to tell her the news after she finished eating.

"Sada-san, thank you for your work today, but, please leave us alone for today." Shouzou asked.

"Of course. Then, I'll leave for today. Good night." Sada said as she made her leave.

After Sada left, Asuna continued to eat in silence. When she finished, Shouzou decided to break the silence.

"Asuna, when you were in the shower, Kirigaya-kun called you." Shouzou started. Asuna, who had been eating absentmindedly, suddenly perked up when she heard this.

"Really? What did he say?" Asuna asked. Shouzou then proceeded to tell her what he had heard from Kazuto. When her father finished his news, tears started to well up in her eyes again.

"Ho… hontou? (R… really?) Is it true…?" Asuna asked, praying that she hadn't misheard it.

"Yes… Kirigaya-kun said that they weren't the only ones that asked for something like this, so the Game Masters will grant the request in a few days."

"Arigatou, Tou-san… I really needed to hear that… Yuuki would've been so happy about this…" Asuna said gratefully.

"Yes, I know, and Asuna? I know you're sad Yuuki-kun is gone, but please try not to dwell too long on it… it's alright to mourn, but doing it for too long won't do us or yourself any good. They may not have said it out loud, but… your mother and your brother are worried for you. And so am I…" Shouzou stated.

"Mm… okay… I'll try…" Asuna said. When she got up, she suddenly realized how exhausted she was, both physically and emotionally.

"I know it's early, but… I want to rest right now…" Asuna said. Her father, of course, could understand this.

"Okay… Sleep well… and, if you need something, tell us… We'll try to help in any way we can…" Shouzou said to his daughter. Asuna thanked her father and left the dining room with Kouichirou accompanying her.

When Asuna came back to her room after brushing her teeth, Kouichirou tucked her in bed and left after offering words of comfort similar to their father and wishing her good night.

After her brother left, Asuna kept trying to think of something else to keep her mind off the pain, but it was no easy task. Asuna didn't know how long she lay on her bed, exhausted, yet unable to sleep. Then she heard the door knocking once again.

"Asuna? Are you still awake?" She heard her mother's voice say.

Asuna didn't respond, not knowing what she should do. While she wanted to be left alone for the rest of the night, her mother had actually come to see her, to talk about Yuuki no doubt.

As she was pondering on what she should do, Asuna heard the door open and saw the light from the hallway coming in to her dark room. She quickly closed her eyes and stayed still, feigning sleep.

* * *

 **A little earlier, Kyouko's POV**

Kyouko had gone back to work, but was unable to focus on them. The image and sound of Asuna's crying was etched deeply into her memories, continuing to distract her. After about an hour struggling to focus on the task at hand without much success, she finally gave up and decided to work on them again the next day. Fortunately, she had gotten most of the more urgent works done before Asuna came home, and the rest were just leftovers that she had plenty of time to finish.

Looking at the clock, she saw that it was about 9:00 PM. After taking off her glasses and shutting off her computer, Kyouko sat down on her chair and reflected on Yuuki's story, and Asuna's desires.

 _'The strength I thought I had gained, the proud sub-leader of the most powerful guild in SAO, 'Senkou no Asuna (Lightning Flash Asuna)' only existed in the virtual world. It felt like, all the progress I made to become stronger were all in vein.'_

 _'Even after she went through all that, Yuuki was still always smiling.'_

 _'Why is she gone… when I'm still here, alive and well…!? Doushite…!?'_

 _'If the Kirigaya family and even Yuuki's family could be happy like that, then why couldn't we? Why can't we go back to those times when we really felt like family…?'_

Kyouko recalled her daughter's words. When she thought about what she told her, she had a point. It was evident that Asuna had never really felt home for a long time even when she was in their house. If the Kirigaya's and even the sickly Konno's could be happy like Asuna had claimed, then what was stopping her family from being happy like them?

When they really felt like family… family… family…

( **A/N: Play the OST: "You are not alone #2"** )

Kyouko stood up and went to the bookshelf, looking for something that she hadn't seen for a long time. After rummaging through the shelf for about a minute, she finally found what she was looking for: the family album. She brought the album to her desk and started to look through them.

She started to look through the pictures, from start to end. She saw the pictures taken during her childhood in Miyagi with her parents, then to her high school and university graduation pictures. She saw countless others like: her wedding pictures and her honeymoon with Shouzou, birth of Kouichirou and Asuna, several trips the four of them had gone to during summer or winter breaks, and the family visits they had in Kyoto and Miyagi (the number of pictures taken in Kyoto was noticeably greater compared to the ones taken in Miyagi).

Out of all of the family pictures, one specific picture caught her view: The family photo of the four of them smiling towards the camera with a 5 or 6 year old Asuna holding her teddy bear friend. Kyouko couldn't help but give a little smile when she saw the picture, seeing that Asuna was smiling happily in it.

However, when she came to the end of the album, she noticed that the last time the picture was added was more than 3 years ago. When the Sword Art Online incident began, for the next 2 years, adding pictures to the family album had all but stopped. Even after Asuna had been freed from the virtual world 2 months later than she should have, with the lawsuits Recto Inc. faced as well as Asuna's rehab session and her reintegration into society, their family had little time to take another picture.

As she was getting lost in the pictures, she heard a knock on the door.

"Douzou (Come in)." She said, facing the door. In response, Shouzou came into the room.

"You're finished with your work?" He asked.

"Not exactly… I couldn't concentrate." Kyouko answered. Shouzou nodded in understanding.

"Oh? Isn't that the album?" Shouzou asked when he saw what was on her desk. He picked the album up to look through the pictures, a sentimental smile growing on his face.

"Haha. This really brings back some fond memories, don't they?" He chuckled.

"Yes… they do… Anata (Dear), how's Asuna holding up?" She asked.

"Kouichirou said that she went to bed about 30 minutes ago. And… she should be feeling slightly better now." Her husband responded.

"What do you mean by that?" Kyouko asked. Shouzou then proceeded to tell her about the phone call Kazuto made.

"I see. That is good news, I suppose." At this point, Kyouko decided to go and talk with her.

"I need to see if she's still awake. I want to… talk to her…" Kyouko said. At this, Shouzou smiled encouragingly.

"Go on, then. Be there for her. I'm sure she wants that more than anything." He said. Kyouko left and headed to Asuna's room.

When she got there, she saw that no lights were coming from inside, meaning that the lights were off and she may be asleep. But she decided to talk with her anyway if she wasn't asleep yet. So she knocked on Asuna's door.

"Asuna? Are you still awake?" Kyouko asked. But Asuna gave no response. Wondering if she was really asleep, Kyouko decided to go in.

* * *

Asuna stayed still, pretending to be asleep. Even though she had her eyes closed, she could feel her mother coming closer to her bed and kneeling down.

Kyouko just looked at her daughter's face, not knowing that she was feigning sleep. In the past when she saw Asuna sleeping in her bed during her childhood, her face usually contained a peaceful smile. However, now it contained unbearable sorrow and distress. The only other time she had seen such an expression on Asuna's sleeping face was the day Asuna had lost her bear friend as she had practically cried herself to sleep that night.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Trying to understand"** )

Kyouko reached and caressed her daughter's cheek. Even though she was asleep, she wanted to say something to her. Meanwhile, Asuna was doing her best to remain absolutely still.

"Asuna… I'm really sorry that you had to go through something like that; and I'm sorry for what happened to Yuuki for that matter. Honestly, it was one of the saddest stories I've ever heard.

And you… you look so sad right now. The last time I remember seeing you like this is when you lost the teddy bear I bought you when you were little. And… you must be feeling worse than when you did back then. Because… well, because this time you really lost a friend. It must have been hard for you.

You said when you were telling us Yuuki's story that you miss the old times when we felt like family. To be honest, I thought I was doing a good job in being a family. To have you grow up in a wealthy background, and start a promising career. But now, I'm starting to have some doubts. Thinking back, before the death game started, I never saw you smile like you did during your childhood. But after you came back to us, that smile seemed to have come back somewhat.

I know that I may have been the cause of much stress and pressure back then and lately, and maybe I pushed you a little too hard from time to time. But make no mistake; everything I did, I did them with our family's best interest at heart.

Also, when you brought me to the virtual world for the first time, you told me that you wanted to live a life where seeing other's happiness also made you happy. Listening to your story with Yuuki, and seeing you move on from the death game and everything else that happened to you, I think I'm starting to understand… You're stronger than I thought you were. And… I don't know… I think you were already living the life that you wanted to live by. To see someone you care for smiling and being happy. I thought that without a promising career, you'd never be able to be happy, but… looking at how happy you were during the last few months, because of Yuuki and your other friends no doubt… I would never have imagined that things would turn out the way they did, but I suppose it helped you become stronger nonetheless; and I can't help but feel some pride in that…

But even if you're strong, there are times that you need to stop and take a rest and I think that now is that time. So, if you need someone to talk to, talk to us… we'll try and listen and help all we can… Good night… Asuna." After getting what was on her mind out of her system, she gave her daughter an assuring pat on the head before heading out and closing the door silently.

When her mother was 'talking' to her, it was getting harder and harder for her to continue pretending to be asleep. And when she told her that she felt some pride for her, she barely managed to stop herself from gasping in surprise. Thankfully, Asuna managed to listen through her mother's words without giving away that she was still awake. When she left, Asuna started sniffling, more out of gratitude than sorrow this time.

"Kaa-san…" Asuna moaned. Reflecting on what she had just heard as a single tear dropped down from her eyes. However, within minutes after her mother left, the much needed sleep finally claimed Asuna's consciousness. She drifted off to sleep, still feeling sad, yet feeling slightly content.

* * *

 **Kawagoe, Kirigaya residence.**

After Kazuto hung up the phone after talking with Asuna's father, he went to Sugu's room, knowing that she may need some consolation as well. Sure enough, when he arrived, he found his adoptive sister crying.

"Come on, Sugu… it's okay… we'll miss her… we all will." Kazuto told her.

"Mm… Nagata-kun said something similar earlier… but… after everything she went through… it's just so sad to see her go like that…" Suguha sniffed.

"I know… but the Sleeping Knights and Asuna… they must be taking this harder than us…" Kazuto said.

"Mm… I wonder how Asuna-san is holding up… Out of all of us, she was closest to Yuuki-san…" Suguha wondered.

"I called her just now… but her dad answered instead. He said that she was taking it badly." Kazuto answered.

"Can't blame her on that though, can we?" Suguha asked.

"No, we can't… that's why we have to do our best to cheer her up with everyone else at the Dicey Café tomorrow. And, I think I have just what we need for that…" Kazuto said. Suguha raised her brows curiously.

"Oh? And what do you have in mind?" She asked.

"You'll see, Sugu. You'll see." Kazuto responded.

When they saw that it was 8 o'clock, the siblings then proceeded to head downstairs to make some supper, even though they didn't really feel like eating.

And while they were at it, Midori arrived home.

"Evening you two. Getting something to eat?" She asked cheerfully, oblivious to their sorrow. But when they gave no response, with distraught looks on their faces, she knew something was wrong.

"Etto (Um)… what's the matter you two? Did something happen?" She asked in concern.

"Kaa-san… Do you remember Yuuki-san?" Suguha asked.

During the adventure with Yuuki the last few months, one of the chapters of their adventure was when Yuuki came over to the Kirigaya's using the VR Probe. There, Asuna had introduced Yuuki to their real life counterparts. They had also introduced her to Midori, who greeted her pleasantly and had already heard about her condition from her children.

"Yes, I do. What about her…?" Midori trailed off when she saw their sad expressions (and tears in Suguha's case) and deduced what had happened. She gasped and covered her mouth when she did.

"Oh no… please don't tell me…" Midori started. Kazuto only nodded his head in confirmation.

"She passed on earlier today… we were there… all of us…" Kazuto replied sadly.

"I'm so sorry, you two… and for Yuuki-chan too." Midori said, pulling a sniffling Suguha into a hug.

"Mm… The entire ALO community is mourning her… thousands came for her, just to see her off…" Suguha told her.

"I see… that's good, I guess… How's Asuna-chan, by the way? Wasn't she close to Yuuki-chan?" Midori asked Kazuto.

"I called her not too long ago, but her dad answered. He said that he'd never seen her cry like this." Kazuto responded.

"I see… Well then, I guess you know what you should do next, Kazuto. Hm?" Midori implied to her son.

"Yeah, I know… be there for her and give her a shoulder to cry on if she needs it… I'm sure every one of us will be doing that anyway…" Kazuto answered.

"Good… Ah, I see you're still making something… You two can go upstairs… I'll handle dinner." Midori said.

"Mm… Arigatou, Kaa-san." Suguha said.

With that, Kazuto and Suguha went upstairs to their respective rooms.

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for the 7** **th** **chapter. Like I said, with my busy schedule, the next one will most likely take months to upload. But readers, please stay with me, as I have no intention of abandoning this story. Stay tuned until next time!**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	8. Remembrance

**A/N: Hello, guys I'm finally back with the new chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. I apologize for keeping you guys waiting for 3 months! You guys have no idea how much I was itching to upload another chapter during the past few months! But at least now, I'm free until my coop work term starts on the 4** **th** **of January. I'll still be working on the story during the work term and hopefully the wait is not as long as this term was.**

 **Also, I hope you guys have had a Merry Christmas. I know I have. And seeing that the number of views have increased by 1000 in the past 3 weeks? Right now I have 5300 views, and that's enough for a Christmas present from you guys!**

 **Now, without further ado, here's the chapter. And don't forget to leave a review when you're finished! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters or the OSTs! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 8 – Remembrance

* * *

 **March 30, 2026, Monday, SAO Survivor's School, 8:00 AM**

Asuna approached the school yard, feeling extremely tired. Although she had gone to sleep relatively early the previous night, her exhaustion did not go away even after she had washed herself and ate breakfast. Though, eating probably was a vast overstatement as Asuna barely even touched her meal. Her family and Sada all exchanged concerned looks at this, but remained silent for her sake. When it was time to go to school, Asuna had just exited the house with an uncharacteristically gloomy farewell.

As she entered the school building that had her first class, she started to hear chattering from her fellow students. Unfortunately for her, it was about something that she would rather not talk about.

"Did you guys hear the news? The Zekken… Konno-san… she passed away…"

"What? When?"

"Yesterday."

"I know… I was there when it happened…"

"How old was she? Around our age?"

"15. Younger than us…"

"Sonna… kawaisou… (Oh no… poor girl…)"

Asuna tried desperately to ignore the ongoing conversations between her school mates, guys and girl alike as she proceeded to her classroom, but to no avail. What was more, the absence of the weight that should have been on her right shoulder was becoming more and more evident; unbearably so.

When she arrived at her homeroom, she found Kazuto, Rika, and Keiko standing right beside the door, talking quietly. When they saw Asuna approaching, they stopped their conversation. Rika pulled her friend into a hug, which Asuna gratefully accepted.

"Asuna-san… Are you feeling better?" Keiko asked her.

"Mm… a little…" Asuna answered with a small smile. Asuna unwittingly reached up to her right shoulder, to where the VR Probe had usually sat at her shoulder.

"Maybe you already know this, but… about what happened yesterday, I'm sure the whole school knows. Some of them were even present on 24th floor yesterday." Kazuto said.

"Mmm. I know…" Asuna answered in a hollow voice.

Then, the school bell rang, signaling that class was about to begin.

"Look Asuna, let's talk after school. We'll go to the Dicey Café together, okay?" Rika said. Asuna only nodded in response. With that, they all headed off to their respective classes.

When the first lecture was over for Asuna's class, her classmates had all gathered around Asuna to offer her words of comfort, feeling sorry for both Yuuki and Asuna. Even their teachers had done the same. The process pretty much repeated for the rest of the breaks and recesses.

* * *

 **After school**

Asuna met up with Kazuto, Rika, and Keiko at the front gate after the class was over. When all four of them gathered, they started heading over to the Dicey Café together. Understandably, Asuna was quiet for the entire trip.

When they arrived at the café, they saw that everyone else had already arrived. The ones who were present were ones that had been present for the official celebration of the clearing of SAO that took about 6 months ago. Andrew, Ryotarou and his Fuurinkazan guild mates, Suguha, Shino, Nagata Shinichi, Thinker and Yulier, Argo and everyone else that had been present for the celebration were present. But this time, none of them were there to celebrate; they were there to pay their respects to Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights.

As they arrived, the boys and the girls separated into groups to talk with each other.

* * *

 **The boys**

All the males in the café gathered together to chat for a little while. Andrew was the first to start it.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it in time yesterday. I had an urgent business to attend to yesterday." Andrew apologized. He had been absent from the gathering the day before because of the matter.

"It's not your fault, Agil. You should have seen it though… the sheer number of people that came to see her off." Ryotarou said.

"Yeah, it was. At least now, she's in a better place…" Kazuto said, to which the boys nodded silently.

"Anyway, Thinker-san. I read the article yesterday. I have to say though; you uploaded the article pretty quickly. I took about, what, less than an hour to do it after you logged out." Kazuto said. Thinker nodded at this.

"Of course… these kinds of news, people need to hear about it as soon as they can. We have a few more articles posted today and… we have more coming up. Here, take a look." Thinker said, showing his tablet to everyone. The tablet was on the MMO Today's latest news. They were titled: "Thousands of ALO players gather to pay their respects to the Zekken" and "The sad truth behind Zekken and the Sleeping Knights." and other articles titled that had something to do with Yuuki and her guild. In the comments section below the articles, they all contained respectful or encouraging words for Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights. From the looks of it, those articles were the most viewed news for the VRMMO players, not just ALO players across the country.

"Wow… this is incredible. I didn't think even players outside of ALO would care this much for her." Shinichi said, astounded.

"You tell me. But it's good to see that people are reacting like they should be…" Ryotarou responded.

"Just one thing, though. I noticed from the comments that some of these players would be willing to go to her memorial service if they can. So, I wanted to ask if anyone knew where and when her funeral was going to be held." Thinker said to everyone. At this, Kazuto responded.

"I think Asuna will know. She was Yuuki's personal friend after all." He said, looking over to where she and the girls were gathered. They all seemed to be talking solemnly with each other, while Asuna seemed to be doing nothing but listen.

"Oh, of course… I'll ask her later then I suppose…" Thinker said, seeing as his wife was with her and the other girls.

The conversation then proceeded to move on to other topics related to the Sleeping Knights.

* * *

 **The girls**

When Asuna took her seat among the girls, they all gave her sad and worried looks. Shino was the first to start off.

"Asuna. I know it's a stupid question, but, are you feeling any better?" Shino asked in concern.

"Mmm… my family's been a lot of help to me yesterday, even Kaa-san. So I'm feeling a bit better…" Asuna responded in a somewhat absent-minded tone.

"And, don't you have the VR probe with you, Asuna-san? I thought the Sleeping Knights may be attending this with us." Keiko asked. At this, Suguha shook her head negative.

"No, onii-chan didn't bring the probe with us. Onii-chan and I asked Siune-san yesterday if they wanted to gather together with us for Yuuki, but she declined, saying that the Sleeping Knights wanted to honor Yuuki on their own. It's understandable too." Suguha responded.

"Yeah… to us, Yuuki was more than just the Zekken or a champion. She was our friend. So Asuna? You do know where the memorial service is going to be held, don't you?" Rika asked.

"Eh? You mean you all want to attend?" Asuna asked, surprised.

"What are you saying? Of course we do! We at least have to say our farewells properly, don't we?" Rika said.

"Rika-san's right. She was our friend. We need to do this; for Yuuki-san." Keiko said. Everyone on the table all nodded their heads in agreement.

"Which reminds me… mina-san (Everyone)? I think you may know this already, but the VR community is in an uproar because of this event. My husband's website has published several articles about the Sleeping Knights and Yuuki-san. And the responses were unbelievable. Quite a large number of readers want to attend her memorial service. So, Asuna-san, would you be so kind to tell me where and when the memorial service will take place? I'm sure my husband wants to publish an article detailing the location." Yulier explained. At this, Asuna stayed still for a moment, surprised. She could feel everyone looking at her, waiting for her response in anticipation. But she didn't need to think much on the response. If they wanted to say goodbye to her with them, then who was she to stop them?

"Alright… I'll tell you…" Asuna said, telling them of the church's location and describing the Sakura trees around the church yard.

"That's where the funeral will be taking place at, but… you'll first have to get permission from her relatives if you're going to do this… I'll give you their contact info…" Asuna informed.

"Of course… We'll be sure to ask them properly before doing this. And if they do, you'll see an article about this soon enough." Yulier answered.

"Okay, then. I suppose we'll all see each other there the next time we meet up…" Suguha responded.

"Looks like it… Let's all make sure to show up. Got it?" Shino added, to which, again, the girls responded with silent nods.

"Nee, Aa-chan… You sure you're feeling better? Because you look a bit pale if you ask me." Argo observed worriedly.

"No, I'm alright… really…" Asuna denied, but her feeble response said otherwise.

"It's alright, you know… to grieve for a friend I mean…" Yolko, the member of the Golden Apple guild in SAO said to Asuna. She was well familiar with the pain of losing a friend as well.

"She's right, Asuna-san… it's not good for you to hold it all in like this… it's alright to let it out…" Sasha said.

"Arigatou, minna… it's just… it's just that.. I already miss her… so much…" Asuna croaked, few tears escaping from her eyes. At this, Rika and Shino, who were sitting right next to Asuna leaned towards her. Rika let Asuna cry onto her shoulder while Shino patted her on the back and shoulder. This poignant scene didn't go unnoticed by the boys either. They could only watch sadly, letting the girls have their spaces.

* * *

After some time had passed, the girls and the boys eventually joined together to talk with each other. Kazuto decided to use that time to talk with Asuna privately on a separate table. After that, she seemed to be doing a bit better than before.

As they all got immersed in their own conversations, they all heard a loud clearing throat sound.

"Mina-san (Everyone)?" Rika's voice spoke solemnly. When they looked at her, she was standing at the front of the café with a grim expression to match the tone.

"Today, we're gathered here to remember Yuuki… Konno Yuuki-san…" Rika began.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Survive the Swordland"** )

"As you all know, yesterday, our friend Yuuki has passed on, to a better place…" Rika said, almost choking. She recovered her composure and continued.

"Ever since we've first heard about her, we've all been fascinated about her, wanting to see her famed skill in action. But as did we get to meet her and know her personally, we all learned that behind this cheerful and exuberant girl, she was harboring a heartbreaking secret, buried deep inside. Even though she was ill from birth and the same illness eventually claimed the lives of her family, and caused much more grief, she never stopped smiling even at the very end. My friends and I, particularly Asuna, wondered how she was able to stay strong and fight against the impossible odds day by day like she did. But, after yesterday, I think I know the answer to that question now: it was because she never felt alone. She had the unique ability to make numerous friends out of everyone she met… and the way she always seemed to be cheerful, we couldn't help but smile with her… That ability to smile even though her life was full of despair and sadness… because she had that, she never lost her smile and cheerfulness, and for that, I can't help but respect her…" Rika said and then paused for a moment before continuing.

"And now, even though she's no longer with us, we, as her friends want to make sure that Yuuki's memory isn't forgotten. And now, she's now at peace with her family, and for that, we can be grateful. Each and every one of us here had a connection to Yuuki, whether from being admirers, or close personal friends. But regardless, I believe it's only right to make sure that we remember and cherish the times we spent with her, because to us, Yuuki was more than just the 'Zekken'… she was our friend…" Rika trailed off. This, everyone in the café couldn't agree more. Rika then raised her glass up high.

"And so, I want to make a toast to Yuuki and her guild… to the Zekken, but most importantly, our friend… To Yuuki…! To the Sleeping Knights…!" Rika said. At this, everyone else followed her action and raised their respective glasses to the air.

"To Yuuki!/Yuuki-san! To the Sleeping Knights!" Everyone exclaimed.

* * *

After Rika's touching speech, Asuna had stepped outside for a moment because she felt like crying again. At this, Shino, Kazuto, Rika, Suguha, Keiko and Ryotarou stepped outside to give her as much consolation as she needed.

After Asuna started feeling a bit better, they went back into the café.

"Minna, thanks for being here for Yuuki… she would've been so happy…" Asuna said to everyone.

"Of course, Asuna… like I said, anything for a friend…" Rika responded.

"Also… Liz? That was really some speech… Arigatou…" Asuna said gratefully to her friend.

"Like I said anything for a friend…" Rika answered, with a small, sad smile. Asuna nodded gratefully at that.

"Mm… I think I need to get going… it's already 5 o'clock…" Asuna said, looking at the clock.

"Okay… do you want us to escort you back or something?" Kazuto asked. Asuna shook her head.

"No, it's alright… I can manage…"

"If you say so…" Shino responded.

"Okay than, I'll see you at school tomorrow…" Asuna said, taking her leave.

"Yeah… see you then…" Her friends answered back. With that, Asuna left the café and headed home.

* * *

 **Setagaya, Yuuki manor, 5:45 PM**

When Asuna got home, she got to the living room to see that her mother was there, reading something on her tablet. When Kyouko saw that her daughter had returned home, she said to her gently: "Okaeri (Welcome back) Asuna... are you feeling any better?"

"Well enough, I guess… thanks to everyone at school…" She responded quietly.

"We'll have dinner at 6 o'clock as usual. Change into something comfortable and then come down, alright?" Kyouko said, maintaining her gentle tone. Asuna just nodded and went upstairs.

As Asuna changed her clothes, she reflected on her mother's actions minutes ago. She was definitely making an effort to be gentle and considerate, like she said she would last night. It was a start, she thought, for the relationship between herself and her mother still had some fixing up to do. But she would keep working until the day she and her mother would be able to talk with each other openly and smile like they did when she was a child. She owed Yuuki at least that much.

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for chapter 8. I hope that you enjoyed it after the long break.**

 **Here's an interesting fact about the article that Thinker and Yulier mentioned: The article was based on a real incident that happened in Final Fantasy XIV. For those of you that don't know this already, this article was about a player with a character name "Codex Vahlda" who was on his death bed in the hospital and the FF14 community hearing about this and countless other players assembling together across the servers to pay their respects to him in his final moments. This was shown to his family and friends and it gave them some much needed support during that sad moment. What's even more ironic is that this article was released on December 21, 2014, which was only a day after the final episode of SAO 2 was released. I know… very ironic, right? I still remember reading this article only minutes after finishing the final episode and my feels were still fresh when I did. You'll be able to search this article easily yourself on Google, if you want to know more about the details. If any of you guys are a friend or family of Codex, you have my sympathy and respect.**

 **As for the next chapter, all I can say is that something big is going to happen and things will take a dramatic turn starting in the next chapter. You're free to venture a guess as to what will be happening next chapter, but of course, I won't spoil it.**

 **And hopefully, I won't take too long to upload this chapter like I did last time. I'll try my best to not keep you waiting, my beloved readers. Happy new years to you all!**

 **The next chapter:** **The Devil's Whisper** **.**

 **Until next time. Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	9. The Devil's Whisper

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with the 9** **th** **chapter of Mother's Reconciliation. I'm sorry I haven't updated for a month, but it's better than have you waiting for 3 months like last time, no?**

 **Right now, I have 6300 views for this story! That's a 1000+ within a month! If I haven't said so already, thank you so much for your supports, likes, and comments! Keep it going guys!**

 **Just a bit of warning before reading this chapter: I had quite a lot of trouble writing this one because of the drama this one represented. Not to mention getting used to my new work environment. And this chapter may be a bit unpleasant. Just so you know.**

 **Now, without further ado, here's the chapter. And don't forget to leave a review when you're finished! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters or the OSTs! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 9 – The Devil's Whisper

* * *

 **March 31, 2026, Tuesday, Yuuki manor, 6:30 PM**

Asuna lay on her bed, thinking. It had been two days since Yuuki passed away, and also two days since her mother had taken a step in opening up to her, and that fact alone was comfort enough for her to start feeling better from the grief… and from the emptiness.

She thought back to what her mother had said to her before she went to sleep, and also her actions during the previous day. From what she could see, her mother really was making an honest effort to understand her again. She remembered what Yuuki said to her during her visit to her home.

 _"_ _You hit me with everything you had. So I decided to trust you with everything." "Try talking with your mother. If you can share how you feel, she'd definitely be able to understand. Ignore everything else and just focus on understanding her feelings and let her understand yours."_

Those were the very words that Yuuki had said to her that gave her the courage to make an attempt to open her mother's mind. And thanks to that, she had made progress. But all that progress would be all for nothing if she didn't finish what she'd started.

Her mother was open for listening to her words right now. She had said it herself on the night Yuuki passed on. This was an opportunity to take another step to improve on her relationship with her mother, and her family. Besides, she felt like she needed to do something other than mope and cry about how her friend had passed away. She knew that if Yuuki saw that, it would only sadden her. Besides, she would be doing something to keep her mind off the pain.

With this determination in mind, she got up from her bed and headed to her brother's room. She knocked on the door to his room.

"Come in." Hearing her brother's response, she opened the door.

"Hey Asuna… what is it? Do you have something you want to talk about?" Kouichirou, who was reading an article on the internet, turned to greet his sister.

"Later, nii-san… I'll talk to you later about what I have in mind right now… but for now, I need to borrow your Amusphere… again." Kouichirou cocked an eyebrow, obviously not expecting her request.

"My Amusphere? Why?" Kouichirou asked. Then, he remembered what Asuna had told him on January; about how she had convinced her mother to let her stay at her current school.

"Oh… wait, I see. You're going to talk to Kaa-san again, aren't you? In ALO, I mean." Kouichirou deduced correctly.

"Mmhm. There's something else that I want to talk to her about. I'll tell you about it later… so please let me borrow it." Asuna requested.

"Okay, but on the condition that you tell me what exactly you two talked about afterwards. Deal?" Kouichirou asked.

"Deal. Arigatou, nii-san!" Asuna thanked her brother gratefully. She took her brother's Amusphere and rushed back to her room. She quickly set up her brother's Amusphere to login to ALO and then lied down on her bed.

"Link Start!" Asuna chanted the magic word that would lead her into ALO. When she did login, she didn't use her usual Undine avatar, but instead logged into her Sylph sub-character. She then proceeded to temporarily log out. When she woke up back in her room, Asuna took the Amusphere off her head and headed to her mother's room where she usually worked, bringing her brother's Amusphere with her.

She knocked on the door to her mother's office, expecting her to tell her to come in. However, no response came from inside the room. She knocked again and waited, but the response was the same.

"Kaa-san, are you in there?" Asuna asked and opened the door softly. The room was empty and her mother's computer screen was still on. She must have stepped out just temporarily. So, she decided to wait for her outside.

But just as she was about to step outside, something caught her eye; something that was on the screen of her mother's computer.

Focusing on the screen, she could see that there was an email on the screen. The email was scrolled down all the way to the end, so all she could see was who had written it. But when her brain registered the sender's name, Asuna paused.

She had seen the name before; the name was the president of one of Recto's close business partners. Recto, being her father's company, Asuna couldn't help but be curious why they would send her mother an email. Hoping that her mother wouldn't be back too soon, she decided to read the email, even though she knew she was being intrusive. So, letting her curiosity get the better of her, she scrolled up the email to read it from the beginning.

* * *

 _Dear Yuuki Shouzou and Kyouko-san,_

 _I believe it has been a few months since we last met and talked with you._

 _As you may know, we have had an excellent relationship with Recto Inc. as business partners for years and both of our businesses have been expanding significantly. Also, please allow me to remind you that during the ALO crisis, we have voluntarily supported Recto during and after the crisis. Therefore, I believe it's time to solidify the partnership between our corporations even further. Furthermore, as we have discussed approximately two months ago, I would like to discuss the matter further when we meet._

 _I would like our family to meet up on Saturday, April 4_ _th_ _to meet up and discuss the specifics if possible. Also, I wish for our children to meet up with yours as a means to strengthen the partnership between our respective corporations._

 _We eagerly await your response._

 _Sincerely, Murayama Tairou and Yoshino of the Murayama Group._

* * *

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Her Tragic Memory"** )

Asuna's eyes widened, horrified when she read the letter to the end. Appalled, Asuna read the letter from the start again, praying that she had completely misread its contents. Then she read the letter again a third time in desperation, but the content of what she read remained the same.

'What is this? Kaa-san was planning to have me meet another suitor? I thought… I thought she promised to stop this after I talked with her in ALO!' Asuna thought.

But then an unknown voice whispered a thought into her mind: _'Was this the only suitor she was planning to have you meet up?'_

Asuna in response clicked on the inbox of her mother's email and searched for more emails between now and January. When she saw the history of the emails that her mother had sent and received for the past few months, Asuna started to shake, her face contorting in fury.

The result of the search of the email history in the last few; quite a large number of the email's titles had something to do with marriage arrangements from other rich families; some of which she had dealt with before. Asuna didn't have to proceed any further. Just by looking at the titles, she could tell that the emails were all discussions about meeting arrangements for more suitors for her. Her worst suspicion was confirmed.

At this, the unknown voice whispered to her again: _'Well, what do you know… She WAS planning to have you meet more of those pompous suitors that you hate so much… Even after she promised that she would respect your decision for your life.'_

Was that really it? Had her mother really been doing this from behind her back since January? The agreements they made after visiting ALO together… to give her the opportunity to choose her life… were they all just lies?

She was so lost in her own thoughts and emotions that she didn't notice the sound of footsteps until the door to her mother's room clicked open. Asuna, who didn't realize this until it was too late, almost jumped at the sound of the door opening. She faced the door to confront her mother.

When Kyouko stepped into the room with a cup of coffee in her hands, she almost dropped the cup in surprise at seeing Asuna in her workshop.

"A… Asuna!? What… what are you doing in here? Haven't I told you not to come in to other peoples' room without permission?" Kyouko scolded. But instead of being intimidated by her tone, Asuna just glared at her angrily. At this Kyouko was caught off-guard. Why was she glaring at her like that? But then, she remembered that she had left the room to get coffee; without closing the email that she had read moments before getting her coffee. When that thought registered in her mind, Kyouko realized what was going on: Asuna had come in to her room, only to discover the email that she had only just read.

"Asuna… Did you…" Kyouko started, but Asuna cut her off.

"Read that email you got from the Murayama family? Yes, I did; along with all those other mails that you've been sending behind my back for the past few months!" Asuna declared furiously.

"You've read through my emails!?" Kyouko asked sharply.

"Yes, I did; now I want some answers! You promised that you'd let me choose my path in life back in January! I thought that meant that you'll stop with all this suitor nonsense! Yet, here I find you of all people breaking your promise!" Asuna yelled, not breaking her eye-contact with her mother.

Kyouko paused at this; still surprised that Asuna was daring to use her temper like this. But after she put the cup of coffee down on her desk, she answered her daughter's question nonetheless.

"What I said back then was that you'll be allowed to stay in your current school as long as you keep your grades up and go to University. No more than that. Frankly, even though your grades are in good shape, I'm still worried about your future." Kyouko answered.

"Just what exactly do you mean by that?" Asuna asked, trying to control her temper.

"Even though your grades are high as of now, I'm still concerned about your little group of friends." Kyouko stated.

"What about them?" Asuna asked, not liking where this was going. Then, the voice whispered another thought into her mind: _"'You're associating with those kids who spent two years killing each other.' Is that what she's trying to tell you?"_

"Wait, don't tell me, let me guess: _'You're associating with those kids who spent two years killing each other.'_ Is that what you're trying to say?" Asuna questioned, praying that what the voice was telling her was wrong.

Kyouko paused, surprised at this statement.

"Well… yes, to an extent. But I…" Kyouko answered, but this turned out to be a big mistake.

"Urusai… (Shut up…)" Asuna cut her mother off. Kyouko stopped dead in the middle of her sentence, dumbfounded.

"What… what did you just say to me?" Kyouko asked pointedly.

"I told you to shut up about my friends!" Asuna yelled, her voice had risen so loud during the 'shut up' part that even her mother flinched a bit in surprise.

"How dare you… You dare compare my friends; the SAO survivors with murderers!?" Asuna said, her voice rising with every word.

"Yes, it's true that some of the survivors were killers; there were people among the survivors that killed for fun, but don't you dare compare the other SAO survivors and my friends with those psychopaths! For the two years I was trapped in SAO, they've been my friends, my family, even. Even more so than you and Tou-san combined have ever been in my whole life!

And if you put it that way, in case you've been so thick to notice, I'm one of those 'kids who spent two years killing each other'! So you might as well disown me, calling me a murderer!" Asuna yelled at her mother. Kyouko stood where she was in shock, which was quickly being replaced by fury. She couldn't believe the ungrateful words that were coming out of her daughter's mouth. But at the same time, she tried to keep in mind that Asuna's emotional state was not in the best of condition right now.

"Watch what you say, Asuna! Don't use the fact that your friend died as an excuse to use your temper on me! And what was that? More of a family than me and your father were combined? How dare you! Do you have any idea how much your father and I sacrificed for you and your brother throughout your entire lives!?" Kyouko shouted, with a look that would have usually made Asuna, and even other men cower. But quite surprisingly, Asuna wasn't wavering or showing any signs of being intimidated, but rather, Asuna had a look of utmost fury on her face that she had never seen before.

"Like arranging me to marry Sugou Nobuyuki, for example?" Asuna scoffed. Hearing the name of the man that disgusted her to no end, Kyouko really started to lose her temper.

"I thought I told you to never bring him up again!" Kyouko shouted at Asuna.

"Oh, I'll bring him up as much as I have to; to get my point across!" Asuna yelled back, not relenting.

Kyouko and Asuna just glared at each other for a few seconds, until Kyouko took a frustrated sigh and started again in a calmer tone.

"I know that you don't really trust my judgment after everything that's happened, but I can say the same for you, Asuna. Especially with that boy you keep insisting on seeing. He may seem appealing now, but he won't be able to financially support you the way the men I've chosen for you in the future, and…" Kyouko said, but she was cut off by Asuna.

"Don't you dare speak of Kirito-kun that way! And do you honestly think that those pompous aristocrats you call suitors really give an ounce of care about my happiness or my future?

I've sat through every single one of them and watched them all play coy with me; all of them declaring that they love me and care for me… all the while boasting off about how great they are and the wealth they possess and not give me a chance to talk at all… But those are all just noise… nothing but honeyed and false words." Asuna said, not breaking eye contact with her mother. At this, Kyouko gave another defeated sigh.

"Asuna, I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I chose them because they seemed capable of taking care of you, both financially and romantically. And if you'd just…" Kyouko went on, but was once again cut off by Asuna.

"Take care of me?" Asuna asked incredulously. "They're all nothing but a bunch of privileged cowards seeking only to enrich themselves! They made the decision to marry me because it's what would benefit THEM! They see me as nothing but a fancy trophy and a stepping stone to boost their own social status and reputation! And they expect me to be an obedient little puppet and to submit to them without question! Oh, they might have dressed it up with pretty words, but that doesn't make it true! The only difference, _mother_ …" Asuna emphasized the word 'mother' with pure venom.

"The only difference between myself and you and all those you aid, is that I don't feign affection!" Asuna finished, glaring hell at Kyouko.

"Look here, young lady…" Kyouko started, her anger starting to reach its boiling point. But just as Kyouko was about to lecture her daughter, someone knocked on the door.

"Kyouko? Asuna? We know you're there! What's going on!?" Shouzou asked from the other side of the door, with a tone of urgency. Not hearing a response after waiting for a few minutes, he decided to come into the room. When the door opened, Shouzou came in with Kouichirou. Apparently, both of them had heard the quarreling that was going on between them and rushed to the room. What they saw was the mother and daughter looking at each other with looks that could kill.

"Will someone please explain to us what this is about!?" Kouichirou demanded to both his mother and sister. At this, Asuna shouted at her mother: "Go on, tell them! Tell them about that email!"

"What email?" Kouichirou asked, as he approached his mother's computer and reading the email that was displayed on the screen. He took a few seconds to skim through it, but after he did, he was starting to see the picture as to why Asuna was so angry.

"Kaa-san, what is this? You've been contacting other rich families for arranging suitors behind our backs? And… this email mentions your name too, Tou-san! Did you know about this?!" Kouichirou rounded up at both of his parents.

Asuna froze when her brother directed that question at their father. For some reason, that had never occurred to her. At this, the voice whispered to her again: " _You know, your brother has a point… Even your father, who always seemed so supportive of you… was he in this as well? You can't trust anyone in your family it seems._ " Asuna looked intently at her father, anticipating the answer, and also praying that he would say no.

But to her horror, instead of responding, her father only avoided eye contact with the both of them with an expression riddled with guilt. That act alone was as good as confirming that he did know about this arrangement.

"I can't believe you two! I thought you left this suitor nonsense behind since January! Especially you, Tou-san! You know very much that I love Kazuto-kun and you even approve of him! So why?!" Asuna questioned her father. After pausing for a few seconds to gather his thoughts, he answered.

"While it's true when you say that I do approve of the boy and that he is a promising young man; not to mention us owing him a debt for saving your life on multiple occasions, he's not the only one with promise. I wanted to give everyone else that's asked to meet with you a fair chance. I know you like him, but I had to consider the possibility that your relationship didn't end up well; to have a backup plan just in case that happened… The thing is, we were going to sit down and have a talk with the both of you about this on Sunday when you came home. But, because of you telling us Yuuki's story, we just couldn't bring ourselves to talk about it. So, I was hoping we could delay bringing it up as much as possible, with you grieving for Yuuki… but, we just didn't expect you to find out about this so soon…" Shouzou said regretfully.

Asuna had heard enough. There may have been reason behind her father's intentions, but right now, in her emotionally wrecked state, she just didn't feel like listening to reason. The voice then asked in a mocking tone: _"So? What will you do now? Cry like the baby you are? Or will you retaliate for everything they've done?"_ Asuna gave a hollow and emotionless laugh that was so uncharacteristic that it was almost frightening. When Asuna finished, she continued in a cynical tone.

"So that's it, then? That's the best excuse you could come up with? You just said that you were going to delay the subject, but then what? After I got over the fact that Yuuki was so cruelly taken away from us all, were you going to bring it up then?! What, were you expecting me to say "Thank you for being so considerate" then? And then I would go ahead and just do as you tell me like a servant obeying her master? You've always done this to me! The both of you! You always keep secrets from me saying that it's for my best interest and make the decisions that I should be making for me without my consent, and do I need to remind you that the two of you chose Sugou of all people to become my husband? And before you say anything, Kaa-san, don't you put all the blame on Tou-san because as far as I'm concerned, you're just as responsible!" Asuna exclaimed, her voice becoming louder and bitterer.

Her family just listened on, dumbstruck at Asuna's words. But Asuna wasn't finished yet. She still had so much frustration that had built up over her life that needed to be released.

"Ever since I can remember, you've always told me that you want us to succeed and have a 'good' career ( _Asuna emphasized the word 'good' in a mocking and sarcastic manner_ ) for our sake and our happiness, but you know what I'm starting to think? It's not mine or nii-san's career you care about; it's yours! You don't care if we live or die; just as long as you can use us for your precious reputation!" Asuna directed this statement at her mother. Kyouko just stood where she was, absolutely thunderstruck. Shouzou decided to step in to lecture his daughter at this point.

"Asuna! Don't you talk like that to us! You know that's not true!" He said sternly. Then giving a sigh, he asked: "What is wrong with you Asuna? Are you taking your anger out on us for losing Yuuki? Is that it?" Asuna just sighed, seriously frustrated. They just didn't get it…

"For your information, this has nothing to do with Yuuki! You want to know what's really wrong? I'm sick of being treated like I'm not even here! Asuna, do nothing but study; Asuna, don't have fun, especially with those lower class children; Asuna, you better choose some pompous rich boy we've chosen for you to marry because that's the only way we can define your life as a success. And I know that I gave you a lot of grief during SAO, but actually I'm just an underdog that you were planning on selling off to someone I loathe, and yes, I would have loved very much to have been sold off to a sadistic psychopath, so that he can turn me into his personal sex slave!" Asuna raved furiously without pausing.

"So, does that answer your question?! I'm sick of you meddling with my life! I thought it would be different with you two, I mean, you are my parents; but it turns out that you're no better than that Sugou Nobuyuki!" Asuna yelled. But as soon as she finished that sentence, she gave a yelp as she felt her face jerk to the side with such a force that she staggered backwards until she was caught by her brother. A burning and stinging sensation was building on her cheek. Her mother had slapped her, hard.

When Asuna realized what had just happened, she attempted to spring at her mother with a clear intention of striking back.

At this point, Shouzou and Kouichirou decided to step in, seeing that the atmosphere between the mother and daughter was becoming more and more volatile.

"Alright, that's enough, you two! Stop this, now!" Shouzou said to them both while facing and restraining his wife.

"Asuna! Calm down!" Kouichirou said, also restraining his sister, who was struggling to free herself from his grip with surprising strength.

"Don't…" Kyouko started, livid. "Don't you dare equate me or your father to that wretched man, do you hear me?! Everything we do, EVERYTHING we've done, were all for you two! We may have made some mistakes, or even pressured you too hard from time to time, but stop being so naïve! Do you really think that the outside world would even try to understand you if you had no talent or a bad reputation? You said it yourself on Sunday! That society isn't as kind or understanding as they should be! If you know that fact, then at least try to understand why we're doing all of this! And if you're part of the Yuuki family, then as a child who know nothing about how the world works, you have the obligation to listen from us, your parents who's had successful careers! And look at how much your brother has succeeded because he listened! So stop wasting your time and ours, and just do as I say!" Kyouko yelled, completely forgetting that currently Asuna was at her most vulnerable state emotionally. She would soon learn that she had just made a huge mistake.

At hearing this, Asuna stopped struggling because she felt all of her strength in her body betraying her. Kouichirou, who felt this, glared at his mother. He hated it when she compared him with Asuna because he feared that her doing so would eventually plant seeds of resentment towards him in Asuna's heart if it happened continuously. Shouzou, who also realized that Kyouko had gone too far this time, looked at her right in the eye.

"Kyouko! That's enough! You know that Asuna isn't in the right state of mind right now! And don't bring Kouichirou into this either! Come on; don't be so harsh on her." Shouzou said in his attempt to defuse the situation. But the damage was already done.

Kouichirou felt his sister starting to shake in his arms. When he looked at her face, he saw that she wasn't shaking because she was crying. Yes, tears were threatening to spill from her eyes, but what was startling was that Asuna's face now contained not just fury, but also pure hatred.

" _Ah… So that's what this was about… she never cared for you because you'll never be as good as your precious brother… In her eyes, you'll be nothing… NOTHING… compared to your brother…_ " The voice whispered to her again. Then, Asuna finally spoke.

"Well, then… I think there's a very simple solution to that, don't you think?" Asuna began, shaking in cold fury. Her family waited to hear what her 'solution' would be. But what she spoke next, none of them, not even she herself, expected.

"If that's what it means to be a part of this family, then I just have to leave for good!" Asuna declared. At this, her family just stood there, shocked and thunderstruck.

"Wha…"

"Asuna…"

"What… what did you just say? Asuna…?" Shouzou, Kouichirou, and Kyouko said respectively, still shocked at her answer.

"You heard me! I've had enough! I've had enough of all of you, the suitors, and the rest of this God-forsaken family!" Asuna shrieked at the three of them. Then, she exited her mother's room and headed to her room, ignoring her mother's shouts to come back.

When she reached her room, she locked the door behind her. She then grabbed the largest suitcase in her room and proceeded to throw her clothes, books, spare cash, as well as other necessities she could think of into the suitcase and lastly, she threw in her Amusphere, which was still logged into ALO moments before she forcefully pulled the power plug on it.

As she finished up packing the bag and readied to exit her room, something caught her eye. It was a picture frame of her family on her desk with her 5 or 6 year old self in it. Before now, the picture used to be a symbol of hope that her family still cared for her despite them being rarely together at home. But now, that hope was non-existent. Unable to stand looking at the photo anymore, she threw the frame against the wall, where its glass shattered and hit the ground with a loud clatter.

She dragged the suitcase behind her. When she reached the stairs, she just descended it with the wheels of the suitcase banging on them with every step she took. When her family heard the noise, they came out to the front door to see that Asuna was almost at the door with her suitcase right behind her. Apparently, they had done nothing but just argue when she stormed out of her mother's room and only just realized what she was trying to do. Kyouko quickly grabbed her daughter's arm to stop her.

"Asuna! Where do you think you're going?!" She asked sharply, but Asuna could hear a hint of panic in her voice.

"I don't know! Somewhere! Anywhere! Away from here!" Asuna declared, refusing to look back at her.

"Asuna… Asuna, please don't do this!" Her father's voice pleaded with her. "We're sorry that we kept this a secret from you but running away like this isn't going to solve anything!"

"Asuna, please! I don't agree with Kaa-san and Tou-san on this whole suitor mess either, but please don't leave us like this! We almost lost you to SAO, so please don't make us go through that again!" Kouichirou begged desperately.

"And you're saying that if I stay, things are just going to solve themselves?" Asuna scoffed at her parents.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Despaired"** )

"And that you're going to stop hounding me about choosing a suitor to marry? Please, I think we all know the answer to that! Besides, you already have your _perfect_ son who's the very definition of success itself! So why don't you stop wasting your time on a _failure_ like me and focus all your attention to him?!" Asuna shouted in a fit of rage. At hearing this, Kyouko and Kouichirou's faces turned white. Kyouko, because she realized only now that by comparing her and Kouichirou's accomplishments in spite of herself, she had only added fuel to the fire and Kouichirou, because his fear of his beloved sister resenting him had become a reality.

"Asuna… no, you misunderstood! I wasn't trying to say that you were a failure! I just wanted you to follow your brother's footsteps and…" Kyouko desperately tried to explain to her, but Asuna, who was in no mood to understand pleadings or excuses, cut her off for the last time.

"No! Spare me the excuses! From now on, my last name is no longer Yuuki! I hate you!" Asuna yelled at Kyouko; her eyes and voice full of malice and hatred. At this, Kyouko froze and felt her strength draining from her body. With this, her grip loosened on Asuna's arm. Asuna, sensing this momentary weakness, shook off her mother's hand.

" _Hate them… Sever all ties with them…_ " The voice said, cackling.

"I hate you! I hate you all and I never want to see your faces again, ever!" Asuna shouted at them, tears streaming down her face.

"Asuna…! Asuna!"

"Asuna! Come back!" Shouzou and Kouichirou called out to her, but she ignored their calls and left the house, nearly splintering the door to pieces on her way out.

Kyouko collapse onto her knees, unable to believe what had just happened while her husband and son stood staring at where Asuna had been moments ago, horrorstruck. No one said anything for a few seconds, until Kouichirou broke the silence.

"What did you do?!" Kouichirou shouted at his mother. "What did you say to her to make her run away from home like this?!"

"Watashi… watashi (I… I…)" Kyouko just stammered.

"You know what? On second thought, don't tell me. I don't want to hear it!" Kouichirou said before pursuing Asuna, slamming the door shut behind him.

As soon as he exited the manor, Kouichirou looked around desperately to see where Asuna had gone. He couldn't see her in the immediate vicinity; but she couldn't have gotten far; not with that big suitcase behind her. He took off towards the left side of the street as that was Asuna's usual routine to school. Then, he spotted a familiar silhouette sprinting downhill on the slope of the street and turning a corner which lead to the larger streets of Setagaya. Asuna had about a few dozen seconds of head start; 30 or 40 seconds at best. But for such a short time, Asuna had managed to cover quite a distance from the house, even with that big suitcase she was dragging behind her. Not taking the time to appreciate just how fast his sister was, Kouichirou began his hot pursuit.

When Kouichirou reached the corner Asuna had turned, he had narrowed the distance between him and his sister considerably, he stopped to catch his breath a little and called out to her. "Asuna! I know you can hear me! Come back home with me! Please!" But Asuna did not falter or even pause. If anything, it only seemed like she was running faster after she realized that her brother was chasing her down. She turned another corner that lead to an open district.

Then Kouichirou remembered that the street where Asuna was most likely headed had lots of transportation like bus or taxi passing by in minutes' interval. If she manages to catch a transportation there would be no way to catch up to her as currently he had no money or cellphone in his pockets as both of them were in his room back at the house. Keeping that in mind, Kouichirou double timed in catching up to her. He turned the corner but as soon as the main street came to view, he saw her stopping a taxi, which stopped right in front of her, much to his horror. He saw her quickly loading her luggage to the back seat and herself right along with it and shut the door hastily and by the time Kouichirou caught up to her, the taxi had already left. He looked around for another taxi to come by, but none came and within seconds, the taxi that Asuna got in had gotten out of sight.

Realizing that he had failed to catch up to her and bring her home, Kouichirou fell to his knees and punched the ground in frustration.

"Kusou… (Dammit…) Kusou… Asuna…" Kouichirou lamented in despair. Not just at his inability to catch up to her in time, but also the fact that his beloved sister resented him now.

* * *

 **A/N: That it for the 9** **th** **chapter… I'm sorry if the drama was too much and too sudden, but this needed to happen at some point in the story. Believe me, I'm kind of hating myself to have to have you guys read such an unpleasant scene. And was the "Devil's voice" thing too much? Let me know if you agree or disagree with me adding that voice whisper to Asuna's mind.**

 **Also, some of the dialogues in this chapter had a reference to a certain game in a popular series. Try and guess as to which game I used for some of the dialogues in the comments or PM.**

 **As usual, thank you so much for your support and I'll see you next time.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	10. The Fallen Angel

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter. This chapter was the longest I've written and the most difficult one to write yet. It turns out that I need some practice in efficiency for writing drama. Plus, I was feeling a bit sick for a few weeks and I still do now… But I couldn't stay away from this for too long, so I worked on the story whenever I could.**

 **Now as for the story itself, a lot of you guessed that Asuna was headed to Kazuto or Rika's place, which was what I predicted you would say, but I'll tell you now that that's not where Asuna is headed. So where is she going? Read on and find out for yourself!**

 **On another note, I can't believe it! In one month, the views have grown to 8000! I'm at a loss for words, guys, thank you so much! I wonder how much longer it would be before the views reach 10,000? From the looks of things, not too far!**

 **Lastly, I'm sure you SAO fans have all heard the project: SAO, The Beginning! IBM is working for the project to bring the fantasy of SAO to real life! I can't wait and see what the 'beta testers' have to say for it! And hopefully the real product won't be a death game, lol. And I'm excited also because VR is one of my pursued career options…**

 **Now without further ado, on with the story; as always, please leave a comment after you've read this chapter.**

 **To 'Jordan (Guest)': As much as I'd like to email you, I can't when you're a guest. Please make a fanfic account and I'll answer.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters or the OSTs! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 10 – The Fallen Angel

* * *

As soon as Asuna exited the Yuuki manor, she broke off into a run with speed that she never knew she had in the real world. The wheels on her bag were rolling noisily, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away from that prison of a house as much as possible.

Right now, she felt so betrayed, so angry. All the consolation, all the comfort that her mother had given her for the past few months and few days; they had all been just a façade. They were all an act to soften her up so that she can meet more pompous suitors, and discredit all her friends from SAO, especially Kazuto at the same time. It even got her thinking: when she told her the story about Yuuki two days ago, did she truly even feel pity towards her, or did she just disapprove of me because I befriended a group of 'lowly' terminally ill patient like Yuuki? And everything she had said to her during the night two days ago; did she really mean what she said, or were they just insincere lies? She didn't know what to think anymore. All she knew was that she no longer wanted anything to do with that witch anymore.

Just when she turned right that lead to the open street however, her brother's voice shouted out to her, not too far away.

"Asuna! I know you can hear me! Come back home with me! Please!" She heard. But as soon as she heard him, she started running even faster towards her destination.

 _"_ _He's no longer your brother… They are no longer your family…"_ The despicable voice continued to whisper to her mind.

The only thing on Asuna's mind currently was to get away from everything that related to the Yuuki family. So, ignoring her brother's plea, Asuna continued to run. But she knew that at this rate, it was only a matter of time before he caught up to her. The only way to lose him was by catching a taxi, so she rushed on, hoping to get into the busy streets and lose her brother long enough to find transportation out of there.

Luckily, just as she entered the main street, she saw a taxi approaching her, so she quickly signaled the taxi to stop. And it stopped right in front of her.

"Asuna! Asuna!" She heard her brother's voice from behind her, getting closer to her, so she quickly shoved her luggage into the back seat and got herself into the taxi and by the time her brother reached her, the taxi had already taken off.

"Where to, miss?" The driver asked. She almost said the Kirigaya's address, but then a thought occurred to her.

Her first choice to go to in the current situation would of course, have been Kirito's place. He and his family would understand her current situation better than anyone. And Liz's place was another option. But as much as she wanted stay at Kirito or Liz's place, going to their place would be far too predictable. She wanted to be somewhere that her parents, particularly her mother would never think of looking. Her mother, having investigated on Kazuto before, would definitely know where their house is. And something told her that it wouldn't be too hard for her mother to find out where her other friends' place are. If she did go to their place, her parents may come for her and that could cause unnecessary drama. She couldn't risk that. But then, a solution came to her. She did know of someone who was still a friend, but so far as she knew, she hadn't mentioned that person's name to her family. It was perfect.

So Asuna requested to the driver to go to a specific address, which was the dwelling place of a certain friend. She then took out her cellphone and called for the person in mind.

"Moshi moshi? Sinonon?" Asuna answered.

"Asuna? Hi… how are you feeling?" Shino's voice asked in concern.

"Not so fine… but before anything, I need to ask you something, Sinonon… Can I come over to your place to stay?" Asuna requested.

"Eh? You mean sleep over at my place? Why? Did something happen?"

"It's hard to explain over the phone. I'm on my way to your place… I know this is sudden, but please… I need your help… Onegai… (Please…)" Asuna pleaded softly.

"Etto…, oh alright. But you better tell me what this is about when you get here." Shino said, her voice now containing confusion as well as concern.

"Mm… arigatou, Sinonon. I'll see you soon." Asuna said gratefully before hanging up.

Just moments after she hung up with Shino, her phone began ringing again. But when she saw that it was from her mother, she furiously selected the 'ignore' button for the call and turned off her phone.

The cab driver, who seemed to be a kind man, asked what was wrong in concern. But Asuna chose to ignore him, not wanting to talk about anything right now.

Asuna stared out at the window of the cab, dumbfounded. It was only now that the fact that she had even dared to run away from home sunk into her mind. She was angry, yes; angry, sad, and resentful to her family. But after a few minutes, a new set of emotions began to fill her mind: fear and shame; regret even.

She had done it… she'd really done it. All the resentful feelings she had to her family had all exploded at them in one go. But as she started to remember her original purpose of talking with her mother in the first place, her feelings of shame and regret only accumulated. Yuuki had played an indirect, yet decisive role in improving her relationship with her mother and family. But now, she realized that because of her impulsive action, she had just botched up Yuuki's efforts so thoroughly that there may be no chance of reconciliation. She had just turned her late friend's legacy into worthless foam. Because of what she had just done, Yuuki may as well have died for nothing.

"Gomennasai (I'm sorry)… gomennasai… Yuuki…" Asuna wept in her mind, as a new wave a tears began to fall down her cheeks. She stayed silent for the remainder of her trip to Shino's, her feelings of guilt and shame eating her mind away.

* * *

"When the taxi arrived in front of Sinon's condo, Asuna paid the taxi fare and approached her friend's place.

Looking at the apartment number on the door to check that she was indeed at the right place, she rang the bell to notify Shino that she was here. A few seconds later, a familiar bespectacled face greeted her.

"Gombanwa (Good evening) Asuna, I…" Shino started, but when she saw the big suitcase Asuna had brought, her expression turned into shock.

"Asuna?! What… what's with that bag? Wait… when you said stay at my place, it was because you ran away from home or something?" Shino asked, trying to understand just what was going on with her friend.

"To answer your question, yes… I did run away…" Asuna sniffled and hiccupped.

"But why… Actually, come inside first… it's pretty chilly outside. Come on, I'll get you some tea ready. You can explain afterwards…" She said, inviting her inside.

So, Asuna entered her friend's place and settled down in the center of the room. She had been to Shino's apartment once before shortly after she met her. Of course, being a simple condominium, its size was nothing in comparison to the spacious manor of her former home. But this was exactly what she needed. Even though the room was small in comparison to her own room, it was much warmer than her entire house combined; both literally and emotionally. Of course, the emotional warmth the room emitted was still lacking in comparison to the Kirigaya's home in Kawagoe, but it was still far more welcoming than the manor in Setagaya.

Asuna waited patiently until her friend returned with the tea. Soon enough, Shino came into the room with two cups of warm green tea on a platter. She offered one cup to Asuna, which she accepted gratefully. Asuna sipped on the tea to feel some warmth come back to her cool body.

"Alright… now, can you explain what exactly happened?" Shino asked Asuna.

So, Asuna began her story of her discovery of her parents' underhanded suitor business, the fight it ensued, which then led to her decision to cut all ties with the family. Of course, in order for Shino to completely understand the reason behind the fight, she had to explain the ALO incident that happened shortly after the end of SAO; of Sugou's illegal experiments and his plots to alter the minds of her and 300 other test subjects, and how Kirito, Leafa, and Yui put a stop to them, rescuing her and the other trapped test subjects from his clutches, as well as the aftermath of the whole incident. After she finished explaining the situation, Shino was shocked.

"So, let me get this straight: That psychopath, Sugou Nobuyuki who was arrested a year ago for the inhumane experiment using the VR technology for mind controlling was actually your fiancée, chosen by your parents, and even after that, they still insist on choosing someone for you, even after everything Kirito did on your behalf?!" Shino asked, disgusted. She had of course, heard about the ALO crisis and the man behind it all; it was kind of hard not to, seeing as the media was in a complete uproar because of the incident. But she had no idea that he was engaged to Asuna by her parents at the time before his arrest. Just the mere thought was enough to sicken her and understand Asuna's fury.

"Mmm… My mother in particular endorsed the engagement before they found out about Sugou's crimes. And she never trusted Kirito-kun in the first place. Although, not trusting Kirito-kun is something that I can understand, because of his gaming background… but what I can't stand is the fact that she never listens to me. She judges him just by his family background! Social standings and that kind of nonsense! I've put up with it since I was young, but this time, she's gone too far! Looking for suitors behind my back, and trying to force me into things I don't want to do, just because her plans for me went to ruins because of SAO… and what's worse, she has the nerve to compare me with my brother! If she saw me as a failure from start, then why didn't she just throw me out in the first place?! And then again, even if SAO never happened her plan would have been to have me married off to Sugou! Can you imagine: What he would have done to me when he did marry me? Why can't that witch just admit for once that she made a mistake and leave me be?!" Asuna lamented. Shino just listened quietly, not knowing what to say to make her feel better.

"But you know what the strange thing is? After I ran away, I thought I would feel a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment after letting my anger out on them, but all I feel is… regret." Asuna told Shino.

"Well, I mean that's the way it should be, no? Yes, your anger to your family may be justified but still, it can't feel good, running away like that…" Shino reasoned with her. This was something Shino could understand far better than any of Asuna's other friends. Her relationship with her family wasn't exactly normal either, especially after the post office robbery. There was no ill-feeling or tension between her and her family of course, but Shino found herself wishing that she could improve their relationship to what it was before the robbery. Someday, she will… when she was completely rid of her old fears and her scars heal, would she go back to the town where her family resides and be like a family again.

"Yes, there's that, but… mostly, I regret blowing up at them because of Yuuki…" Asuna said. Shino's expression changed to a surprised one.

"Yuuki? What does she have to do with this whole mess? I thought this was just a family issue…" Shino questioned.

"Do you remember when I first introduced Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights to you in that barbecue party in ALO?" Asuna asked. Shino nodded. How could she forget that day? That meeting had started a unique and enjoyable adventure for them all for the past few months.

"Well, before that but after I found out about Yuuki's condition in the real world, after Yuuki's first day in our school, she asked me if I could take her to Tsukimidai. When we went there, it turned out that it was where Yuuki and her family used to live. After she told me a few of her anecdotes during her family's stay in their home there, I started to tell her about my own relationship with my family and my mom. She encouraged me to have a real talk with her to try to have her understand my motives, and so I did. The result was that she allowed me to stay in my current school to pursue what I wanted to do. I thought she was finally giving me a chance to do what I want to do for my life… but now, I found out that she was just talking about my academics, not my whole life… she'd been contacting other rich families to choose a suitor from and arranging a meeting with them, even though she has an idea of how much I HATE it. So, when I found out about that, I just… blew up at her… And we fought over the entire subject… then, I don't know, I just wanted to get away from them as far as possible. And so, here I am…" Asuna trailed off with a tinge of regret. Shino tried to make sense of the new information. She had known of Asuna's relationship with her family and the progress she had made with them in the past few months, but she had no idea that Yuuki had played such an important role in it.

"So, Yuuki was the reason that your family's relationship was starting to get better for the past few months?" Shino asked and Asuna nodded, confirming her deduction.

"Yeah… but, I don't know what came over me today… I was so angry about this whole arrangement that I just lost my temper completely. And just when I thought things were starting to look up with them… but now, because of what I did, Yuuki's efforts, her legacy… it may have been all for nothing… Yuuki may have died in vein…" Asuna said, tears welling up in her eyes again.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Goodbye, Again and Again")**

"Asuna, don't be so hard on yourself. Yes, you lost your temper at them and no one can blame you for that after what you explained. And, about Yuuki dying in vein, you don't have to think of it like that… there may still be chance for reconciliation with your family." Shino reasoned with her.

"How? How can I go back to them, after everything I said to them?" Asuna said.

"What you said to them?" Shino asked.

"I explicitly declared to cut all my ties with the family before I left… I even shouted how much I hated them so loudly that I wouldn't be surprised if the whole neighborhood heard… They don't have to disown me anymore; I did that for them! I don't know what to do, Sinonon…! What would Yuuki think if she saw the kind of things I did and say to my own family? She told me that she admired my strength and my pure heart and Kirito-kun even said the same thing. Ha, he even refers to me as an angel! But… angels, they can't hate, can they?! I didn't know… until today, I didn't know that I was capable of harboring so much hatred in my mind… I'm not strong… and I'm no angel either…! I'm just a pathetic excuse of a weak little girl who just destroyed her relationship with her family and tarnished her friend's memory…!" Asuna wept. Shino pulled Asuna into a hug, attempting to console her.

"Asuna, don't give up… There's… there's still got to be a chance… there's got to be a way for you to make up with your family again…" Shino said, not knowing how else to comfort her friend.

"How…? How can I make amends after everything I did today…? I don't know what to do…! What would Yuuki have done in this situation…?! Why did she have to go like she did…?! What do I do, Sinonon…?! What do I do…?!" Asuna wailed despairingly. Shino took a moment to think of an answer.

"Well… before anything else, I think Yuuki would never have given up until she found the answer and not wail about it. And above all, she never would have lost hope… She never did even though she was faced with the cruel reality. So, don't lose hope, Asuna… If you do, then Yuuki really did die for nothing…" Shino advised. Asuna thought about Shino's answer and knew that she was right.

"Yeah, you're probably right…" Asuna sniffled, trying to wipe her tears away. "I'll try and think of something… I just don't know what…"

"And about you being weak, I don't think that's true… you've always had this unexplainable strength. Yuuki said it herself, didn't she? Getting to know you in the past 3 months was enough for me to feel that… If I had half the strength the two of you had… maybe… maybe I could have overcome my fears sooner…" Shino trailed off. After meeting Asuna and Rika, as well as the lady from the post office and her daughter in the aftermath of the Death Gun incident, Shino had made significant progress in overcoming her fear and guilt. She no longer had panic attacks when she saw guns in real life, although she did flinch and fell tense from time to time when she did, and she was now able to hold the plastic gun model that she had gotten from Zasker, the company that ran GGO without much problem. What was more, she was pretty much a loner and not too social, even before the fateful event at the post office. But after meeting Kirito, Asuna, and the rest of their friends, she found herself wanting to interact more with them shortly after their first encounter. All in all, her life had changed for the better, all thanks to Asuna and her friends.

On Asuna's part, one of the reasons that she and Shino got so close in the past few months was because they had quite a lot of similarities: They had both experienced a haunting past, and had to deal with people who were obsessed with them to the point they were willing to kill. But of course, comparing Shinkawa Kyouji and Sugou, the latter's crimes were far more hideous and made Shinkawa look sane.

Although Shino knew that Kyouji had committed a serious offense by being the Death Gun's accomplice and tried to sexually assault her, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The Shinkawa brothers' father was a director of a hospital, meaning that their family was quite rich. But Shino deduced that the pressure their family gave them for studying to go to a medical school was one of the main reasons of what drove Kyouji to insanity. And so, she did have an idea of what extreme pressure from a rich family could do to a person. That was why Shino was glad that her new friend, who also came from a rich and reputable family, was able to handle the pressure from her family well for the last few months… but now, it was apparent that the similar pressure Asuna faced was starting to take its toll on her… someone who was so strong willed.

"No… I'm not strong… not at all…" Asuna denied. It wasn't like her to be so pessimistic, but given her current circumstance, no one could blame her.

"Yes, you are… you just don't know it yet…" Shino said, trying to comfort her. She decided to give her some time to cry and let her emotion out. After Asuna had calmed down considerably, Shino decided to ask a question that she was wondering about.

"Asuna? I was wondering: Why did you decide to come to my place instead of Kirito or Liz's place? My place is pretty much a dump compared to their home, you know… and I would have thought you'd have gone to Kirito or Liz's place without a second thought in this situation." Shino asked.

"Well… it was mainly because my family already knows where they live, and I didn't want them to barge into their place and cause a scene trying to bring me back… As far as I know, my parents don't know anything about you. And besides… your place isn't a dump, it's just… smaller, and warmer too, compared to my place…" Asuna answered. Shino gave a small smile at this

"Thanks. And well, if you decide to stay here for a while, I have no problem with that." Shino said.

"Really? Can I really stay here for who knows how long?" Asuna asked.

"Of course… I've never had someone sleep over at my place before, but I'm glad it's happening. Although, I wish that it was under better circumstances…" Shino trailed off sadly.

"Me too… but, thanks, Sinonon… for understanding." Asuna thanked her.

"Just promise me two things: that you'll help me cook and shop while you stay and that you'll try to make up with your family at some point…" Shino stated her conditions.

"The first one, I'll help gladly! The second… I'll give it a try..." Asuna promised.

"Good enough for now, I guess. By the way Asuna, did you tell anyone else that you've run away from home?" Shino asked.

"I was going to call Kirito-kun at some point, but… I can't talk to him right now, not in this pathetic state…" Asuna said sorrowfully.

"It's okay, then… I'll call Kirito and Suguha for you." Shino said.

"Arigatou, Sinonon…" Asuna said. Shino then picked up her phone and dialed Kirito's number.

* * *

 **Kawagoe, Kirigaya residence.**

The Kirigaya siblings were currently in Kazuto's room, discussing what they could do to cheer Asuna up from her current state of depression. They came up with several ideas but none of them seemed too practical. When they were discussing about it, they decided to have Yui join the conversation as well using the prototype VR probe. It was still being tested but it would work fine nonetheless for the time being. When their discussion so far proved to be unfruitful after a while, they decided to call the brainstorming for the day.

"Well, let's think more on this tomorrow, with Liz and the others too. They may have a better input for this." Kazuto suggested.

"Yeah. Thanks for being with us, Yui-chan." Suguha said to the little pixie, who was invisible to their eyes.

"Of course, anything to help cheer Mama up again!" Yui chimed. But then she remembered something.

"Oh, and before I go, Papa? Before you called me, I sensed Mama logging in to ALO." Yui informed them.

"Really?! What was she doing in there?" Kazuto asked, surprised.

"That's just it… she didn't do anything… rather she logged in very briefly using her sub-account and logged out temporarily. But then a while later, her account just, disconnected…" Yui said.

"Huh… is that so? Maybe there was a blackout where she lives?" Suguha suggested, but for some reason, Kazuto was getting a bad feeling about this. Kazuto at this searched the internet about blackout occurrences throughout the districts of Tokyo, but neither Setagaya nor any part of Tokyo for that matter had a blackout throughout the entire day.

"I don't think that's the case. There hasn't been any report of blackouts for the entire day." Kazuto informed his findings to Suguha and Yui.

"Well, it's probably nothing…" Suguha tried to assure the both of them, although she herself was getting a bit concerned as well. Then their house phone started ringing loudly.

"I got it!" They heard Midori's voice from downstairs. The ringing stopped a second later. Kazuto responded to his sister's question.

"I guess so… anyway, thanks Yui, we'll be in touch with you again soon. Ja na (See you)." Kazuto said to Yui.

"Okay, good night, Papa! Leafa-san!" Yui said sweetly to them.

"Good night, Yui-chan." Suguha waved to the probe. Then she looked at her brother to see him thinking, probably on what Asuna was doing.

"Onii-chan, don't worry too much… it's probably nothing…" Suguha attempted to assure him once again.

"Yeah… probably…" Kazuto said somewhat doubtfully, unable to shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Unfortunately for them, his hunch would be proven true. Seconds within his response to Suguha, they both heard footsteps sprinting towards his room with a sense of urgency. Then, the door to his room burst open, revealing a frantic looking Midori.

"Kazuto! Suguha! Has Asuna-chan called you in the past 30 minutes?!" Midori asked urgently to them.

"Asuna? No, she hasn't contacted me by phone at all today." Kazuto answered.

"Me neither… Why are you asking this, Kaa-san?" Suguha asked.

"Asuna-chan's father is on the phone… He said that Asuna-chan… she ran away from home!" Midori delivered the shocking news.

"Eh?!/Nandatte (What)?!" Suguha and Kazuto exclaimed almost simultaneously.

"How did this happen?! What did he say?!" Kazuto asked frantically.

"He said that there was a big fight between her and her mother regarding some family matters, and apparently, it got out of hand pretty quickly! He said that she ran away from home about 30 minutes ago and she's turned her cellphone off! But before she turned the phone off, it seemed like she was calling someone, so he was thinking it would be one of her friends!" Midori explained.

"Here, give me the phone!" Kazuto said to her, which she did so hastily.

"Moshi moshi? Yuuki-san?" Kazuto said to the phone.

"Kirigaya-kun, thank goodness! Did Asuna call you at all today?" Shouzou's voice asked him in obvious distress.

"No… and the last time I saw her was at school today… and she seemed just fine, other than looking sad… Listen, Yuuki-san, can you please tell me what exactly happened to make her run away from home? Was it just the fight with her mother that triggered this? Or does this have something to do with Yuuki?" Kazuto asked, trying to stay calm.

"I'm afraid it's both… and apparently Asuna was still holding a grudge against us for the whole ALO incident and that certainly didn't help things either." Shouzou answered regretfully.

"Have you tried calling any of her friends yet?" Kazuto asked him.

"Not yet. I thought that Asuna would have called you or her friends at this point. I was going to try and call her other friends afterwards." Shouzou explained.

Kazuto thought on the best course of action. Then, he remembered what Yui had informed them: that Asuna's account disconnected all of a sudden no more than an hour ago. Maybe Asuna took her Amusphere with her?

"Yuuki-san? I just had a thought: Did Asuna take her Amusphere with her? If she did, she's probably planning to fulldive at some point. My friends and I could try to reach her online." Kazuto asked.

"Her Amusphere? Let me check…" Shouzou said. He went to her room to see if Asuna had indeed taken her Amusphere. What he saw in her room, however, was a heartbreaking sight. Her closet was open with most of her clothes cleared out and other necessities were missing in her room as well. But what was worse was what lay on the floor: A shattered picture frame of their family with some glass shards lying around it. It was evident that Asuna had thrown it in frustration, seeing that there was a visible dent on the wall right beside the frame. He was caught up in unpleasant feelings that he was brought back to his task at hand only when Kazuto asked him if he was still there.

"Yuuki-san? Yuuki-san!" Kazuto raised his voice a little, but not enough to sound rude.

"Oh, sorry, Kirigaya-kun…" Shouzou replied, snapping back to reality. "Yes, it looks like Asuna did take her Amusphere with her." Kazuto was slightly relieved at hearing this.

"Then I'll dive into ALO and leave her a message. If I hear back from her, you'll be the first to know. I'll try and call everyone that she knows too." Kazuto assured Shouzou.

"Thank you, Kirigaya-kun." Shouzou said, grateful. With that, he hung up.

"Alright, it looks like Asuna took her Amusphere with her. That probably means that Asuna's planning on fulldiving again soon. Okay, Kaa-san, try calling Rika and Sugu, call Keiko. I'm going to try and call her cellphone and if that doesn't work, I'll go to ALO and try to see if I can reach Asuna there.

"Alright/You got it." They answered simultaneously and did as he asked. In the meantime, he dialed Asuna's number, pleading in his mind that she would answer. But the phone soon gave out a message saying that the recipient's phone was off. He tried again, but the result was the same. Realizing that calling her wasn't going to get him anywhere, Kazuto quickly lay down on his bed after he put his Amusphere on his head.

"Link Start!"

* * *

When Kirito spawned in their log house, he immediately brought up the menu and checked if Asuna was online. Disappointingly, Asuna wasn't online. So, he decided to send her a message.

'Asuna, I know that you ran away from home. Please, tell me what's going on with you. Everyone is worried sick… Please contact me as soon as you see this message.'

As soon as Kirito sent the message, the 'Recipient is offline' message popped up. This was, of course, expected.

"Yui? I need to talk to you." Kirito said, knowing that Yui could hear him through the system. And of course, less than a second later, Yui materialized out of thin air with a sparkling light.

"Papa! You're back, and so soon, too! What do you need?" Yui asked.

"Listen, Yui, I'm afraid I've got some bad news to tell you… It looks like Mama, she ran away from home." Kirito explained. Yui's reaction to this was predictable.

"Ehh?! Why would Mama run away from her own home?! Did something happen to her?!" Yui asked frantically.

"I'm trying to figure that out too, but from the sound of it, she had a big fight with her family regarding some private matters. So listen, Yui. Sugu and I are trying to find out where she went and are trying to contact her, but Mama's turned off her cellphone, but it looks like she took her Amusphere with her when she left. So there's a good chance that Mama will log into ALO at some point. So when she does, I need you to inform me immediately, and to Liz and the others as well, do you understand?" Kirito asked, trying to remain calm for Yui.

"Hai, wakarimashita (Yes, I understand)!" Yui answered. Kirito ruffled her head in response.

"Good girl. I'm going to leave now… I'm going to keep trying to find Mama, alright?" Kirito said.

"Mmm, gambatte (good luck), Papa!" Yui said encouragingly. With that, Kirito logged out.

* * *

As soon as Kazuto opened his eyes again, his aunt and cousin just finished their calls.

"Kazuto, you're back! Rika-chan said that she hasn't heard anything from Asuna since they left school today." Midori informed them.

"Same with Keiko-chan! If Asuna-san was planning to go to one of their places, she should have been there a while ago!" Suguha said, starting to panic.

"Okay, calm down, Sugu! Panicking isn't going to get us anywhere. I tried to contact her online too, but she's offline. Alright, so where else could Asuna have gone?" Kazuto thought out loud.

"Well, we tried Rika-san and Keiko-chan, those two are her closest friends other than us! So who else could she turn… too…" Suguha trailed off as her mind registered an answer. Kazuto's mind also came to the same conclusion as Sugu's answer.

"Wait… could she have gone to… Sinon's place?" Kazuto deduced.

"I was just about to say the same thing! Hayaku (Hurry), onii-chan! Call Sinon-san!" Suguha said. Kazuto wasted no time picking up the phone to dial Asada Shino's phone.

"Sinon? That new friend you made just before Christmas last year?" Midori asked her children.

"Yes, and Asuna-san's gotten pretty close to her as far as we know, so there's a good chance!" Sugu said. Just then, Kazuto's cellphone began ringing. He looked at the phone to see that it was Shino. Speak of the devil… He immediately answered the call and didn't give her a chance to talk in panic.

"Sinon! Good, I was just about to call you! Listen, has Asuna contacted you today?!" Kazuto asked.

"Kirito, calm down! Actually, that's exactly why I'm calling you… Asuna… she's here, with me…" Shino answered. Hearing this, Kazuto released a huge sigh of relief. He had been holding his breath without even realizing it.

"Is Asuna-san there? With Sinon-san?" Suguha, who was watching her brother's reaction, asked him. Kazuto only nodded in response.

"Yokatta (What a relief)… Her family is in panic right now… Listen, Sinon, let me talk to Asuna." Kazuto requested, his tone noticeably calmer.

"Actually, Asuna said that she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now… She just barely managed to stop crying. I think it's better to try and talking with her tomorrow… She said that she's planning to go to school tomorrow. So I think for now, it's better to just leave her be…" Shino said, glancing over at Asuna, who was lying down on the floor in silence.

"Okay, then tell her that I'll be waiting for her at the school rooftop before class starts." Kazuto asked, a little reluctantly.

"Alright, I'll tell her. And, it looks like Asuna intends to stay here for a while, which is just fine by me. So, don't worry too much about her safety. If there's anything else, I'll let all of you know." Shino said.

"You're a lifesaver Sinon… Thanks, and please take care of Asuna for us." Kazuto said in gratitude.

"No problem… and don't worry. If she decides to go over to your place later, then that's fine too." Shino said.

"Yeah… but did Asuna tell you why exactly she ran away from home? Her father said that it was because of some family matters and didn't say much more than that…" Kazuto asked her, thinking that Asuna may have said something to her.

"Well, that's…" Shino hesitated for a moment about telling him, but decided that if anyone had the right to know about Asuna's current predicament, it was Kirito. So she went to the kitchen and closed the door so that Asuna wouldn't hear her explanations. She then summarized what Asuna had explained to her earlier. When she finished, Kazuto couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He had expected this from Asuna's mother, but her father…

"For them to pull this kind of stunt now of all times…" Kazuto sighed in frustration.

"You can say that again… Hopefully this can be resolved with her family… but until then, Asuna can stay with me for the time being…" Shino assured him.

"Yeah, thanks again, Sinon. We'll talk later…"

"Alright, good night."

"Yeah, good night…" With that, they hung up.

"Well? What did Sinon-san tell you?" Suguha asked her brother. Their mother was also anticipating the answer.

"Well, Asuna didn't want to talk to anyone for today, but Sinon said that she's planning to come to school tomorrow, so hopefully we can get some answers then. And, as to why she ran away, her mom was apparently planning for another suitor meeting and her dad had a hand in it too…" Kazuto explained the gist of Asuna's reasons for leaving her family.

"Wow… if Asuna-chan is refusing to talk even to you, than this must be serious…" Midori commented.

"Well, when she does show up tomorrow, then maybe I can find out more about it." Kazuto stated, hopeful.

"In the meantime, you should call the Yuuki's; tell them that you found where she is." Midori said.

"Yeah, but, I think I should tell them not to try and talk to Asuna right now. Who knows how she'll react when they try to do that now." Kazuto thought out loud.

"I think so too… they really should wait a bit and let Asuna-san calm down before trying that again; especially her mother…" Suguha noted, with slight anger at the last part.

"Alright, I'm going to call her family… so, you two call Rika and Keiko too and tell them we found her." Kazuto told them as he dialed the Yuuki's home phone number.

When Shouzou picked up, he proceeded to explain to him where Asuna was and assured him that she was safe with her new friend, but advised against trying to speak to her now, since she had refused to talk even to him. During the whole explanation, Kazuto tried his best to hide his disappointment towards him and his wife, but he had a feeling that Shouzou could tell anyway. Kazuto also wanted to ask him why he had allowed his wife to look for more suitors, but ultimately decided that that question could wait; they had a bigger problem to worry about. Besides, Asuna may be able to provide a better answer than her father could at the moment.

"Thank you, Kirigaya-kun… I really don't know what to say other than that…" Shouzou said gratefully.

"Of course… we'll all try and talk to her after school and… see if we can convince her to go back to you. But until then, Asuna's probably planning to stay at her friend's place." Kazuto informed.

"Alright… We'll try to reach her again later tomorrow and see if she'll listen to what we have to say then… Once again, you have my thanks…"

"Yes… well then, good night."

"Good night."

With that, they hung up. When Kazuto looked at his adoptive sister and mother, it was clear that they had finished informing Rika and Keiko before him. They all looked at each other with grim expressions. They wished they could do something for Asuna now, but knew that trying to speak to her now was probably not the best course of action.

"I know it's frustrating to just wait, but let's let Asuna-chan cool her head down a little and try and speak to her again tomorrow at school, Kazuto, alright? Okay, I know that you two probably don't have much appetite after what just happened, but come downstairs in 10 minutes. Dinner's almost ready." Midori ordered before she stood up and left his room.

"Gambatte onii-chan… try to cheer Asuna-san up tomorrow, okay? It's sad to see her like this, especially after Yuuki-san…" Suguha encouraged her brother.

"Yeah… arigatou, Sugu. I'll talk to her tomorrow, I promise… Now come on, let's get something to eat." Kazuto said as he stood up to go downstairs and Suguha complied; both of them hoping that they could find a way to restore Asuna's spirits again.

* * *

 **A/N: There it is guys; the end of the 10** **th** **chapter. I hope you're stoked for what I have in store for you guys! And to give you guys a clue for that, the broken family picture frame was a use of symbolism for the future. But it's not gonna end up badly, so don't worry.**

 **I'm probably gonna get busier with my work on March, but I'll try my best to upload as fast as I can. Again, thank you so much for your support and see you soon, hopefully.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	11. You Reap What You Sow

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter. This chapter is relatively short compared to my previous ones, but still should contain no less drama.**

 **This story's interest is growing fast, by the way! I've got 9100 views now, which is a +1100 in two weeks! Much obliged everyone! I hope, that by the end of the month, I will have a 10,000 view! Come on, let's make it happen!**

 **On another note, I think that this whole story will be about 20 chapters long, if things all go according to plan. Meaning, that we're about halfway through the story. I can't wait to show you what I've planned for the ending. And also, with my intern term's end drawing nearer, I have to start writing a report for the term. So, my time for writing the next chapter may be a bit restricted. But I'll try my best to bring you the next chapter before the next month. No promises though, unfortunately…**

 **And lastly, in the ending author's note last chapter, I gave you a false clue by accident, it seems. I said that the broken family picture frame was a use of symbolism… But what I actually meant that it was the use of foreshadowing… my apologies for that! And in fact, that foretold event will start happening this chapter! So brace yourselves for another drama this chapter!**

 **Now without further ado, on with the story; as always, please leave a comment after you've read this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters or the OSTs! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 11 – You Reap What You Sow

* * *

 **April 1** **st** **, 2026, Wednesday, 9 AM. Setagaya, Yuuki manor, Kouichirou's room.**

Kouichirou paced around in his room furiously. Seriously… what a break from work this turned out to be… It was the morning since Asuna's dramatic departure from their family. Kouichirou had always thought that if someone was to run away from this family he always thought that he would be the first. But he never expected Asuna to be the one to openly choose to run away like she had. Thinking back, though, he realized that he should have seen this coming.

He was truly saddened to see Asuna grieve for her friend like she did. He had hoped that the wound from Yuuki's death would be able to heal with time as she stayed with her family, but their parents' meddling had ended any hopes of that.

He thought back to what happened the previous night and just minutes ago…

* * *

When Kouichirou returned home after failing to bring Asuna back home, he found his parents both devastated. However, after what his mother had said to Asuna, Kouichirou was in no state of mind to forgive her this time around. So he bellowed at her, blaming her for Asuna's departure and that she was on her own for this problem. This then led to the argument of what they should do to bring Asuna back home before Asuna's boyfriend called them, informing them that Asuna would come to school the next day.

When the Kirigaya kid assured them that Asuna was at her friend's place, the three of them had done nothing but argue as to what they would do about Asuna. Kirigaya Kazuto had also informed his father that Asuna was planning to go to school the next day. Upon hearing this information, his mother said that she would go to the school and bring her back herself, ignoring the Kirigaya's warning. But both Shouzou and Kouichirou found fault in this. Of course, while they wanted to have Asuna back with them as soon as possible as well, Kouichirou argued that if they tried to bring her back by force, it would only serve to solidify Asuna's hatred towards them, and it would only be a matter of time before she runs away again.

Shouzou, trying to find a compromise between their arguments, suggested that he would go to school today to have a discussion with Asuna's teachers and principal about how they could convince her to return home and have them talk to her, AND talk with her themselves, if possible. However, given that Kyouko was the main source of Asuna's fury, he decided that it was better for her not to come along. At first, she argued against this, but ultimately agreed, although very reluctantly. They had already notified the teachers about the situation at the time. So Shouzou planned to go to her school and discuss the matter with Asuna's teachers.

On the next day, Shouzou hurriedly ate breakfast, and quickly left for the SAO Survivor's School, leaving the mother and son in the dining room in a very tense and uncomfortable silence.

Kyouko could tell that Kouichirou was still angry with her, but she had to say something… anything…

"Listen, Kouichirou, I…" Kyouko started, but Kouichirou cut her off.

"If you're trying to justify yourself by giving me some flimsy excuse, then forget it." Kouichirou said.

"Of all the things I've heard you say to her, yesterday was the worst! Have you forgotten that Asuna hasn't gotten over Yuuki's death yet? And you just had to compare me and her together didn't you?! And what's worse, you still refuse to admit your mistake with Sugou!" Kouichirou continued. Kyouko froze where she was, defeated.

"Whatever you were trying to say to me just now, if it's about asking me for help to get Asuna back, like I said yesterday, you're on your own for that!" With that, Kouichirou stormed out of the dining room and went to his room, leaving Kyouko in the dining room to drown in guilt.

'What am I going to do…?' Kyouko asked herself.

* * *

Kouichirou thought deeply on what could be done to bring Asuna back. He had attempted to message and call her cellphone, both yesterday and today, but Asuna had responded only with silence. Infuriated by the conversation with his mother just moments ago, he kicked his desk in frustration before plopping down on his chair.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "No Escape"** )

But then, suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He gave the thought over, and after thinking for about 10 minutes, the idea seemed to be legitimate. If it worked, then he could find where Asuna was, and find an excuse to get away from home as well. And right now, some time away from home seemed to be just what he needed as well.

He had never said it out loud, but Kouichirou had gotten long tired of his mother's cold and stoic behavior, much like Asuna. Of course, he cared for her, like a son should, but yesterday's event made him forget all about that, replacing the care with pure fury.

In any case, Kouichirou took out his cellphone and looked up for the person he had in mind in his contact list. To get his newfound plan in motion, he would need some help. He then dialed the number of the person that he had saved onto his contact list, just in case something happened. He hoped this would work…

"Moshi moshi? Hello, it's been a long time. This is Yuuki Kouichirou." Kouichirou said as soon as the person picked up…

"Ah, yes, Yuuki-san… it's been a while. So, what can I do for you? If you're calling me like this out of the blue, then there must be something you need from me." The person on the other end of the line deduced.

"Glad to see you're as keen as I remember. Alright, I'll get straight to the point: I need your help." Kouichirou said solemnly. Hearing this, the receiver of the call became silent.

"Go on." The person said.

* * *

 **About an hour later…**

After barely managing to finish her breakfast, Kyouko sat at her seat and gave the thought over the entire situation. She really hated to admit it, but Kouichirou was right… what she said to Asuna yesterday was most likely what drove her out of her home. She was just so angry that Asuna had openly rebelled against her yesterday, and being compared to Sugou was what really made her lose her temper. She had even slapped her in her anger. Thinking back, she started to regret her actions yesterday.

If they were going to bring Asuna back, who seemed to be serious about wanting nothing to do with the family anymore, seeing as she still refused to pick up their calls and did not call them since her disappearance, then she was really going to need help from her family. The Kirigaya boy may have said that she was safe at her new friend's home, but seeing as she had never met this new friend, or heard about her before yesterday, she couldn't help but be suspicious about her. She just wanted to bring her daughter back as soon as possible. So, deciding to swallow her pride for once and got up to head to her son's room to ask for help.

Just as she left the dining room, however, she heard Kouichirou exiting his room from above and coming towards the stairs from the second floor. So, she went up the stairs to face him.

"Kouichirou, listen, I…" Kyouko said as soon as her son came to view. But what she wasn't expecting was to see a baggage right beside him. Her blood froze when her mind registered what that could mean…

"Kouichirou… what, what do you think you're doing?!" Kyouko asked in disbelief.

"What does it look like? I'm leaving. I need some time away from everything. Asuna said that she as sick of this family, and for that matter, so am I!" He said. He then proceeded to descend the stairs and exit the manor to the yard.

"Don't do this, Kouichirou!" Kyouko said, following behind him, praying that this was just a bad April Fool's joke.

"Then what do you suggest we do? Just sit and wait for you to barge into wherever she is and bring her back using force and harsh words? Honestly, haven't you done enough damage for one lifetime?!" Kouichirou argued, attempting to turn back to be on his way out until he heard what his mother said next.

"Asuna doesn't know what she's doing right now! That boy may have said that Asuna was in safe hands with that friend of hers, but we don't even know who it is! I won't believe that she's in good hands until she's back here with us!" Kyouko declared. At this, Kouichirou, who had his back turned to his mother, turned back to face her again.

"Who are you to lecture anyone about Asuna's well-being? During SAO, you treated Asuna as if she was already dead and gave up on her life entirely!" What Kouichirou meant by this was that after the start of SAO, they had waited and waited, praying that Asuna would wake up. But as days became weeks, weeks became months, and months became years, not to mention the increasing death toll, Kyouko had eventually abandoned all hopes of seeing her daughter alive again. She had even stopped visiting Asuna in the hospital for a considerable period of time. Kyouko may have been trying to be realistic at the time, but her actions had been no less discouraging and unhelpful.

"Since the day I can remember, you've done nothing but discourage us. And on the rare occasions you've actually TRIED to help, you've only made things worse that it would've been better for you to have done nothing at all!" Kouichirou criticized harshly.

"How dare you!" Kyouko snapped.

"Then tell me, who endorsed the engagement that would have most certainly destroyed Asuna's life? And who allowed that bastard Sugou to gain so much power that he almost took down the entire Recto with him; especially when I warned the both of you not to trust him!" Before the SAO and ALO incidents, apart from Asuna, Kouichirou was the one other person in the Yuuki family who was well aware of Sugou's true nature. Ever since the Yuuki siblings had met Sugou, he had been nothing but an eyesore for them both. He always acted like a nice guy in the presence of their parents, but when they were alone, he would always find ways to torment them. In particular, Sugou always seemed find sadistic pleasure when making Asuna miserable during his visits. So, needless to say, Kouichirou absolutely hated Sugou and was quick to defend her from Sugou's approaches whenever the two of them were alone with Sugou.

Also, during the uproar caused by ALO after the exposure of Sugou's crimes, when he found out that his parents had engaged Asuna with Sugou, without her consent no less, Kouichirou was beside himself with rage. He would have cut all ties with the family then, if it hadn't been for the fact that Asuna needed their help for recuperating.

"If we made a decision for you, it was because we thought it was the best for you. If we were reluctant to contribute, it was because you were naïve. A thousand times you would've a wrong decision, and facing who knows how many failures you would've faced, had it not been for our help! Let me tell you something Kouichirou: Life is not a video game, and there are no second chances!" Kyouko declared. At this, Kouichirou's face hardened.

( **A/N: I both agree and disagree with Kyouko's statement above. Yeah, life is not a video game. And as for there being second chances, I think that depends on exactly what kind of chances they are…** )

"It's funny… I can say the same for you! But yeah, you're right… there are no second chances… not when people like you are left in charge!" Kouichirou retorted back and he continued before his mother could answer back.

"You know something, Kaa-san? When Asuna was stuck in SAO, have you even taken your time to think of how I felt about the whole ordeal? How I had to bear the guilt that I offered Asuna to go to SAO in my place, and expose her to the dangers of certain death? What did you do back then when I needed the mental support too? You did nothing, that's what; thinking that you were the only one suffering from the crisis! What I wanted was from you back then was to actually say something to me… something that would have made my guilt more bearable! You may think that it was childish of me to think like that, but I don't care! Let me ask you: Has the thought of giving us some kind… any kind of words of encouragement ever crossed your brilliant mind?! Has it?!" Kouichirou pointed out. Kyouko stood where she was, processing her son's words. As much as she wanted to retort back, she couldn't deny that her son had a point. Yes, the thought of wanting to say something to her son during SAO did cross her mind more than once, but she really didn't know what to say to him at the time. Plus, her pride wouldn't allow her to be so, 'affectionate', for lack of a better word. So, she had kept silent. But now that her son had explicitly brought the subject up, she started to feel very guilty. As those thoughts started to plague her mind, the expression of guilt and sadness started appear on her face. Kouichirou responded few seconds later after her silence.

"I didn't think so… It makes me wonder, though. What you would've done if I was the one stuck in SAO instead of Asuna! After all, the copy of SAO and the NerveGear were mine to begin with! It was only by sheer chance that I had a business trip on the day that SAO's launched! What would have happened if I didn't have the business trip then? If I was the one trapped in SAO for two years, can you say for certain that you wouldn't have given up on me, your 'successful son', like you did with Asuna? Well? Can you?!" Kouichirou asked resentfully. For the second time in a row, Kyouko found herself unable to counter her son's statement. Kouichirou's question ricocheted in her head. She tryed to come up with a reasonable answer, but… she could not…

"That silence is as good as a 'no'… And you know what? Another thing is… Sugou didn't have to become what he is today… we all first met Sugou when he was in middle school, didn't we? Ever since you met him, you've done nothing but pressure him to getting good grades, go to a reputable school and such. And I bet that his family gave him the same kind of pressure as well! Considering those facts, you should be grateful that Asuna and I didn't break from your pressure and become twisted like he did! And how Asuna reacted yesterday should be a clear indication that your pressuring is doing nothing but ruining people!" Kouichirou argued. At hearing the last two points, Kyouko's expression suddenly changed from sad to angry.

"Chotto matte (Wait a minute)… are you trying to blame me for that man's crimes?!" Kyouko questioned, outraged.

"Yes! Yes, I am!" Kouichirou declared. The two glared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"Alright, since you're putting it that way, I can't deny that we made a mistake by engaging Asuna to that… monster… But everything we did until now was to try and rectify that mistake. And the families we contacted with, they…" Kyouko tried to explain, but something that she said made Kouichirou even angrier.

"Wait a minute… families? You mean the Murayama's weren't the only family you contacted?!" Kouichirou questioned, furious at this revelation. He had only seen the email from the Murayama family and somehow, the possibility that that they were not the only families they had contacted had never crossed his mind.

"Yes, and if you'd just give us a chance to rectify that mistake and take the chance at least meet them as well…" Kyouko said, trying to convince her son. But she had unknowingly crossed another line.

"No…! You and I are finished!" Kouichirou snapped.

"Musuko-yo (Son)…" Kyouko said, truly hurt, her facial expression and voice backing it up. But Kouichirou wouldn't have any of it.

"Do you take me for a soft-hearted mama's boy, that just because you call me 'son' I might change my mind?! Just how many suitors were you planning to have us meet, or am I supposed to believe that you were contacting those families just for simple business?" Kouichirou surmised.

"Kayaba Akihiko may have been the one to initiate this whole series of tragedy, but Sugou Nobuyuki was no less a monster, and everything that bastard did, he did under YOUR ignorance! Both YOU and Tou-san!" Kouichirou shouted in an accusing manner. When he finished, he approached the gate, but then abruptly turned back again to face his mother.

"And you know what? I really wanted to believe that she was wrong… but, Asuna was right… you really are no better than Sugou…!" Kouichirou said resentfully. Hearing such words from her son, Kyouko really started lose her composure. She didn't even have the strength to shout anymore.

"Kouichirou… please…" Kyouko pleaded weakly, but Kouichirou ignored her.

"I'm warning you, _mother_. I'm going to give you one week. If you don't reconcile with Asuna until then, or try to bring her back by forceful means, you and I will be through, permanently! So I suggest that you swallow that stupid pride of yours and take responsibility for once!" Kouichirou bellowed at Kyouko furiously.

Then he exited the yard to head for his car. Shortly after, a car ignition sounded and soon, Kouichirou's car could be seen driving away from the Yuuki manor.

Kyouko at this point, lost all composure and started crying.

'I thought I was doing what was the best for our family… but… what went wrong…? How am I going to fix all of this…?' Kyouko asked herself.

For what seemed like hours, Kyouko wept bitterly. For the first time in a year, she was completely clueless as to what she should do.

* * *

 **A/N: There we go guys… another depressing chapter… But bear with me guys, things will start looking up in a few more chapters.**

 **And guys, try and guess who Kouichirou was calling this chapter in the comments! Seriously, try and guess. The answer will be revealed next chapter!**

 **As always, thank you for reading this story and I will see you in the next chapter!**

 **And one more thing: The argument above was actually derived from a few cutscenes of a game series that I'm quite fond of. Let's see if someone can get its reference!**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	12. Asuna's Hidden Resentment

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm finally back with another chapter. This chapter was so far the most difficult to write. I swear, it gets harder and harder to write for some reason!**

 **My exams ended two weeks ago but I had to pack up and get ready for a trip. I'm currently in Korea for family visit and vacation. Plus, it was my birthday on the 9** **th** **, so I was celebrating it with my family, so uploading this chapter took a bit longer.**

 **Also, I'm really grateful for your love and patience for this story! I've got about 15500 views now! And during the 5 months of my absence, you've all encouraged me through PM and reviews and showed how much you were willing to wait for this story, so thank you all! I hope that this chapter was worth the wait.**

 **I've kept you waiting long enough, so we'll proceed with this chapter. A bit of warning though, Asuna may seem a bit OOC this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters or the OSTs! They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 12 – Asuna's Hidden Resentment

* * *

 **April 1, 2026, Wednesday. SAO Survivor's School.**

Asuna arrived at her school far later than she usually did. Honestly, if it hadn't been for the fact that she wasn't in another person's home, plus, the home being her friend's, who went to a different school, as well as Kirito wanting to see her before class started, she actually would have opted to miss school for the day, as unbelievable as that may be. So, Asuna left for school at the same time as Shino did. Shino, whose school was located in the opposite direction from Asuna's school, had to take a different transportation. Before they parted for their respective schools, Shino had wished her luck. To which Asuna thanked quietly.

As soon as Asuna entered the school building, she observed the reactions of her schoolmates. They didn't react much to her presence, other than giving her a sad look briefly; the similar looks they gave her ever since Yuuki's death. From their reactions, they clearly didn't know yet that she had run away from home. And she hoped that it would stay that way for a while longer… Leaving those thoughts behind her, Asuna started heading to the roof of the school to meet Kazuto.

When she arrived, she saw that not only Kazuto was there, but also Rika and Keiko. When they saw her, they all approached her, looking extremely worried.

"Asuna…" Kazuto said hesitantly, not sure of what to say.

"Kirito-kun… I'm sorry for making you worry…" Asuna apologized.

"No, don't be… you're here with us now, so it's okay…" Kazuto comforted her.

"Look Asuna, Kazuto's already told us what happened to you yesterday. Are you sure you're alright?" Rika asked.

"Well, I've been better… I'm just glad that no one else in school seems to know about this whole ordeal…" Asuna admitted.

"Yeah… The teachers called us all yesterday evening and told us to keep this quiet and not spread it around. The last thing we need is for the whole school to spread nonsense rumors about you." Rika said. Asuna was relieved to hear this.

"But honestly though, how could your parents do such a thing? Have they learned nothing after what almost happened to you during the ALO incident?" Rika asked incredulously.

"And the timing couldn't have been any worse too! If it's really as bad as you made it out to be, then it'd take a miracle to resolve this whole situation!" Keiko added on.

"Well, let's hope that her family can actually come to their senses for once. But who knows how long that would take…" Kazuto said.

"By the way Asuna, how has Sinon been treating you?" Rika asked.

"She's been great. She was really understanding of my situation. Although, she did make me promise to make up with my family at some point… but I really can't see that happening anytime soon." Asuna answered her friend.

"But you can't avoid them forever… you know that, don't you?" Kazuto asked her.

"Umm… wakaru... (Yes… I know…)" Asuna sighed. She just wasn't looking forward to it. At that moment, the school bell rang, signaling that class was about to start.

"Let's meet here again for lunch. Let's go everyone." Rika said. So, everyone decided to go to their respective classes.

* * *

Asuna came into the classroom quietly and took her seat. It didn't take very long for the teacher to come to start the class.

As soon as the teacher came in to start the class however, the classroom's announcement speaker rang.

" _Yuuki Asuna-san, please make your way to the councilor's office immediately. I repeat, Yuuki Asuna-san, please make your way to the councilor's office immediately._ "

Asuna froze at her seat, suddenly able to feel that the gazes of the entire class were on her. Most of her classmates seemed to be staring out of concern though, probably thinking that the teachers were calling her to console her about Yuuki's passing. But she knew that it was much more than just that.

"Well, I suggest you be on your way, Yuuki-san…" Her teacher said to her. Looking at his expression, it was clear that he knew what had happened to her yesterday.

But regardless, Asuna complied and stood up to head for the councilor's office. During her walk out of the classroom, however, she could feel her classmates not take their eyes off her until she exited to the hallway.

Asuna began slowly to walk towards the councilor's office. She suddenly became aware that she could hear the echoing in the hallway every time she took a step towards her destination; the sound making her feel strangely tense.

She knew that this was coming. It was obvious as to what they were going to talk about. So why did she start feeling so uneasy all of a sudden?

In any case, having no reason to be in any hurry to get there at all, Asuna continued walking to the councilor's office slowly.

* * *

Asuna stopped when she arrived at the door. No doubt they were going to ask her about the details of why she decided to run away from home. Well, she had to face this sooner or later, so she braced herself for a bit of lecture from her teachers and opened the door to enter the councilor's office and went in without knocking.

She then took a look at the people present. There were three people present: the female councilor and the principal. But when she realized who the third person present was, her face hardened. It was her father.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Asuna muttered, showing no attempt to hide her frustration. She immediately turned back towards the door to head out.

"Yuuki-san, let's not make this harder than it has to be; come inside and sit down, please." The councilor requested, although a bit sternly.

"Asuna, we need to talk… Please…" Her father said to her gently.

As much as she wanted to get away, Asuna was reminded of the promise she made to Shino. So, she decided to bear with it and listen to what her father had to say. But that didn't keep her from being skeptical.

Asuna sat down on the chair, maintaining her glare at her father.

Shouzou stared at his daughter in slight surprise. Looking at her now, whether she realized it or not, her look of fury looked very similar to that of her mother's. That didn't bode well at all for him. Even before SAO, he had done his best to specifically avoid getting into an argument with Kyouko. Maybe it was because her way of intimidation, but oftentimes, he never found himself winning an argument against her. He hoped that Asuna would at least understand his reasoning, but her glare made that hope waver a bit.

"I'm surprised that you actually even bothered to skip work to come here…" Asuna said cynically. Then she continued sarcastically.

"So? What can this _humble delinquent_ do for a high class business man such as yourself?"

Shouzou's eyebrows furrowed, not enjoying her sarcasm one bit.

The school staffs that were present were also surprised at Asuna's current behavior. They had all known her to be a polite and kind student who respected her seniors. She was pretty much one of the Valedictorians of the entire school. Heck, the other students of the school had long been calling her 'The Princess'. Not just because of her beauty, but also because of her kind and respectful behavior to everyone around her; a far cry from the current girl who was glaring daggers at her father. Her voice was also cold enough to make anyone's blood freeze. If this wasn't an indication that something was terribly wrong, then they didn't know what was.

"Asuna, for goodness' sake… listen to me. I know you're angry with me and your mother; and I don't blame you…" Shouzou started, but Asuna cut him off sharply.

"I thought I told you, that I want nothing to do with this family anymore! And speaking of that witch, where is she, anyway? Didn't she come with you?" The teachers once again looked at each other in shock. They had never seen Asuna openly badmouthing anyone; to her own mother, no less.

"No… she wanted to come, but your brother and I talked her out of it. We thought that her being here would only make you angrier. She's at home with your brother right now. She'll have her chance to speak with you when you come back home with us." Shouzou answered.

"Weren't you listening? That fancily decorated prison of a house is not my home anymore! In fact, I've felt like it hasn't been one for a long time! And I have nothing left to say to her either! Even if I agree to go back, I can already see her shouting at me for disobeying her and that her way is the ONLY way for me to be happy. Just how much more hypocritical could she be? "

"Asuna…" Shouzou sighed. At this point, the teachers decided to step in.

"Enough." The principal said sharply. At this both father and daughter stopped where they were.

"I believe that we're here to talk and come to an agreement of some sort, not argue and make the matter worse than it already is." The principal said. Shouzou sighed at this.

"Yes, you're right. But before we can discuss that together, could you please give us some time alone to talk first?" Shouzou asked.

"Of course… we'll be in the adjacent room." The principal said. He then left the room with the councilor following behind.

Even as the teachers left, Asuna maintained her glare on her father. Shouzou finally decided to break the silence.

"Asuna, I can't deny that we made a horrible mistake by trying to bring you and that man together. The same goes for your mother! She may not have said it out loud, but she knows it's true." Shouzou explained, but Asuna refused to believe it.

"She admits that she was wrong? Ha, say something that I can actually believe in!" Asuna scoffed.

"Can you really not trust me, Asuna?" Shouzou asked.

' _Don't trust him… after all, everything he and that woman said to you was a lie all along._ ' The wretched voice again taunted Asuna.

"Trust you? Why should I? After all, you've lied to me all this time, so why should it be any different now?" Asuna asked, unconvinced.

"Because you don't know the whole story! You don't know what happened while you were inside SAO!" Shouzou tried to explain.

"Oh, I'm well aware of what happened during SAO; more than anyone! Trying to marry me off to a vile sadist whose goal was to literally brainwash me into his obedient little puppet; something that you're trying to do to me, even now!" Asuna said.

"No, you're wrong, Asuna! We're not trying to brainwash you! Your mother and I are just doing what we can to secure a life that you can be happy with!" Shouzou said. He wanted to get that fact across his daughter's mind. But like yesterday, Asuna was unwilling to accept the explanation.

"Well, what you mean by a 'happy life' for me, it's actually all about your career record and pride for the Yuuki family and nothing else! Besides, does she even have the right to decide what's best for me? After how she acted when I was trapped in SAO?" Asuna asked. Shouzou froze at this.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"Don't play dumb. You must have known all about it. Did you really think that I didn't know? That she stopped visiting me and acted like I had already died during SAO?" Shouzou's eyes widened in shock. He had thought that Asuna didn't know about her mother's reaction during SAO.

When Asuna had finally woken up from her prolonged sleep after SAO and ALO, his wife had asked him to not bring up the subject again. He knew that she regretted how she had pretended that their daughter had already died, so in her own way, Kyouko had been trying to make amends for it.

"How do you know about that?" Shouzou asked, his heart becoming heavy. To answer, Asuna decided to be a bit cryptic.

"How did I know, you ask? Oh, you're going to _love_ the answer!" Asuna fumed then continued.

"Let me give you a clue: Who was the closest to the Yuuki's to the point that he visited me in my ward alongside you during my captivity, and at the same time had access to ALO's GM account? There was only one person who fit those criteria at the time!" Asuna said. Shouzou gasped in horror. He started to pray that the answer wouldn't be who he was thinking of.

"No… please don't tell me it was…" Shouzou started, but Asuna cut him off.

"Do you get it now? That's right! The person who told me all about her behavior was none other than Sugou Nobuyuki himself!" Asuna bellowed, confirming Shouzou's worst fear.

"During the two months I was trapped in his bird cage, he would always come during his spare time and try to woo me over, and say all kinds of things to discourage me and give up hope. And do you know what one of the things he said to torment me was? It was telling me about how my own mother had given up on me!" Asuna yelled. Shouzou tried desperately to come up with a counter.

"Asuna… you don't honestly believe his words, do you…?" Shouzou asked in slight panic.

"Do I now…? Believe me; I really wanted to not believe his words. I mean, why would I want to, after everything he did to me? But after Kirito-kun freed me from ALO, and started my rehabilitation, did you really think that I didn't notice how distant she was being during the process?" Asuna asked him.

"Well… she was…" Shouzou stammered, not knowing what to say, but Asuna cut him off.

"That was when I started to realize that something was off about her, so I asked the nurses about it. And do you know what I heard from them? That while you and Nii-san came to visit me on a regular basis, but Kaa-san? They told me that she almost never came to visit me." Asuna said bitterly.

"Asuna, that doesn't mean anything! Your mother was just having a hard time with the fact that you were trapped in the death game! We honestly didn't know if you would even wake up at all! And with the death toll only increasing, she just didn't want to think about the fact that you may not return at all and…" Shouzou tried to explain on his wife's behalf, but Asuna once again beat him to it.

"So, what you're going to say is that just because you didn't know if I would live or die, she just completely gave up on me, trying to forget that I existed?" Asuna asked coldly.

"Wha… no! Never! She just didn't want to be hurt if you really did end up dying and..." Shouzou said hastily, but realized too late that what he said would imply the wrong thing.

"Ahh… so you mean that when SAO did happen, she just up and assumed the worst; that I wouldn't return to you alive?!" Asuna questioned, her voice rising.

"Asuna, don't twist my words! That's not what I'm trying to say!" Shouzou said, starting to get a bit irritated.

"Then what is?! Nothing changes the fact that she DID give up on me! I bet she practically acted like that I never existed in the first place! Did I really mean so little to her, that she tried to forget about me?! What kind of mother does that, anyway…? I mean, I get that it was painful to see me in the state I was in, not knowing if I would ever wake up or not, but did she really have to go as far as trying to forget me? Actually, I shouldn't be surprised… thinking back, even before SAO, that's how she's been all along! Ever since I was little, all she did was to try and shape me and my life into how SHE wanted it, not how I want, so that I could be just another part of her _excellent_ career record! She may have looked like she cared at the time but when I got trapped in SAO, she was so quick to disregard me just because of the mere fact that I got stuck in it made a dent in her otherwise perfect career record. And when I came back, she had another sudden change of heart, tried to act like nothing happened and again tried to twist my life into what she wants it to be! Did you really think that I'd be grateful, to receive such false and inconsistent affection?! So tell me, Tou-san, how is it, that I find Sugou Nobuyuki's words far more believable than yours or Kaa-san's, huh?!" Asuna asked, her anger rising uncontrollably.

"Asuna… you're jumping to conclusions! Your mother never abandoned you and she never would! She loves you like any mother would! If you only knew what she's been through you'd know that…" Shouzou trailed off sadly, but Asuna disregarded this.

" _There he goes again, trying to defend her after everything that she made you go through… don't listen to their lies. She thinks that she's the one who suffered the worst from SAO. How selfish._ " The voice jeered her again.

"What she's been through? Please, what's she's been through is nothing compared to what the people who lost their friends or families during SAO went through! Does she really think that the one who suffered the most from the incident was her and her alone?! Why is she always so self-centered?! But then again, what else should I expect from the person who has the nerve to call the SAO survivors as people who spent two years killing each other; someone so narrow-minded that she calls the victims criminals just because of the actions of a few?" Asuna questioned.

"Wait, your mother said what?" Shouzou asked, surprised.

"Oh, you mean you don't know yet? Yes, you heard me! She called the students of SAO survivors as kids who spent two years killing each other. She categorizes them with murderers! You don't believe me? Go ask her yourself!" Asuna bellowed her face now red with fury.

"Asuna, for goodness's sake, listen! I disagree with your mother on that one, and no, your friends are certainly not criminals. She's just concerned about your future. You may not agree with her methods, and I don't either from time to time, but she wants what's best for you and is doing everything in her power to give you a better future!" Shouzou defended his wife, but Asuna was still unconvinced.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "Her Cruel Past"** )

"Like I said, what right does she have to try and decide my future for me, after yesterday and Sugou?! Getting back to the point, if she assumed that I wouldn't make it back, then why does she care about me NOW?!" Asuna asked again. Shouzou's face scrunched deeper into sadness.

"When I heard about Kaa-san from the nurses, I tried to forget all about it… tried to think positively… to try to understand her… think that she went through a lot during SAO, but now… I just can't understand her anymore! I just can't trust anything that you two say anymore!" Asuna shouted.

"Asuna…" Her father said.

"And… it's just… I was so happy when Kaa-san told me that I could stay in this school. I was happy that she was finally respecting my decisions… I thought that she was finally giving me a chance to live my life the way I want… that's what I really thought…" Asuna trailed off weakly, tears finally falling again. Shouzou still stayed silent, unable to think of anything to comfort or convince his daughter.

"But now… if this is how it was going to be, then I wish that I never came back from SAO…! If I did…, I never would've been held captive by that monster… and I wouldn't have to be feel so grieved because of meeting Yuuki… and I wouldn't have had to know that the man that I hated the most was right all along; that all this time, my own mother never concerned herself to believe in me but tried to give up on me instead!" Asuna bellowed. Her voice had started small and sorrowfully, but it soon crescendo-ed to an angry cry.

"I… no, we're so sorry… Asuna… you had such a terrible burden on your mind… and we didn't have a clue of it… " Shouzou said, voice full of regret and self-loathing.

Asuna stayed where she was for a few minutes, tears continuing to fall down. But soon, Asuna stood up and headed to the door.

" _If they're really sorry, then they'll never come looking for you again… tell him that._ " The voice ordered.

"If you're truly sorry, then do me this one last favor, _father_." Asuna emphasized the word 'father' with bitterness.

"I'm going to live my life the way I want from now on… without anyone, especially _her_ telling me what to do… So, please… never… come looking for me again…" Asuna requested, her voice empty. She then opened the door and proceeded to run, heading to the exit of the school building.

"Asuna! Asuna!" Shouzou tried to stop his daughter, but she had already left the room.

On her way out, she came across the two teachers who were present with her father in the counseling room earlier. They briefly gave a surprised look, but quickly recovered.

"Yuuki-san, where are you going?" The councilor asked, but Asuna ignored her and continued to run.

"Yuuki-san, this is not a request; get back here!" The councilor demanded, but Asuna again ignored her and headed straight to the exit of the school. She didn't even bother to go back to class and get her stuff. All that was on her mind was to get out of the building, away from her former family.

* * *

When she felt that she had gotten a fair distance away from the school, Asuna suddenly became aware of where she ended up. It was a playground that was in the more rural area of the city. Thankfully, no one was in the park or anywhere near it, so far as she could tell.

She took a seat on one of the swings, but didn't bother to swing on it. She wasn't in the mood, nor did she have the energy for it. It wasn't even noon and yet Asuna felt extremely exhausted.

With the commotion that she made, it was likely that by now, the whole school knew what had happened, so going back to it was out of the option. She hadn't brought much to school anyway because the majority of her belongings were back at the Yuuki manor. Plus, with the mess she'd added up, she didn't know how she was going to face Kazuto and the rest of her friends.

She had let it happen again. She had let her anger get the best of her again.

' _What is the matter with me?! Why did I blow up like that again?! What am I going to do now?_ ' Asuna shouted to herself in her mind.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She broke down on the swing and started crying again. No one would hear her cry right now, and for the time being, Asuna wanted it to stay that way; at least the half of her mind did. The other half of her was pleading desperately.

' _Someone… Anyone… Please… help me…_ ' She wept in her mind. She wanted to something… anything to make the pain and regret go away. Yuuki would have definitely known what to do in this situation. But she was well aware that nothing could bring her back.

Right now, Asuna felt sadness and loneliness like she'd never felt before. She felt like she'd been thrown into a dark pit with the way out nowhere to be seen.

It felt like nothing would be able to resolve the problem between her and her family. The one person who understood her situation the best was gone forever, leaving her alone to face the growing problem alone. It all felt hopeless.

She didn't know how much time passed. But Asuna kept crying like she never had before, seeking for even a small glimmer of light to show her the way through her currently dark and unknown path.

* * *

 **A/N: There we go. Things seem to be going from bad to worse every chapter for both Asuna the Yuuki's. So the question is; how will things ever get better for them? You'll have to wait and see.**

 **Were you able to understand why Asuna was so angry with her family? Were my explanations clear? This chapter has been the hardest to write for me because of a persistent writer's block. So, I need you readers to tell me how I did. If the explanation wasn't clear enough, if you tell me by PM or review of which part was unclear, I'll revise this chapter along with the next chapter update.**

 **As of right now, I have the rest of the month off but have another intern term coming up. So, I think that I'll be able to write more frequently this time, so you probably won't have to wait too long for the next update. I'll keep you guys posted if there're any changes on my schedule.**

 **Once again, thank you all so much for your love. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	13. The Brother's Credibility - Part 1

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter. This month has been quite eventful. After coming back from Korea, I went to Fan Expo that held place in Toronto earlier this month. It was my first time ever to go to any kind of anime event of this size, so I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I also got quite a bit of SAO related things they sold there. I also dressed up as a character for the event and I don't think I need to even mention who I dressed up as… but that isn't the best part. I got to meet and speak with Cherami Leigh and Cassandra Lee Morris, the dubbing voice actresses of Asuna & Leafa/Suguha respectively during their autograph session! How sweet is that? So yes, this month has been a blast so far.**

 **On other news, I'm still getting used to my new work, but nothing too stressful at the moment.**

 **Okay, back on track with the story: I originally wanted to make this chapter a bit longer, but I thought that if I did that, it would take too long to upload, and I know that many of you're itching to read more. So the second part of this chapter will come separately.**

 **And also, after you finish this chapter, please check out the news in the author's note below.**

 **Now, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave a review or PM afterwards. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 13 – The Brother's Credibility – Part 1

* * *

 **12:00 PM, SAO Survivor's School.**

Kazuto, Rika, and Keiko hadn't exactly been expecting today to be a normal one, but this… this was far worse than what they could have ever expected.

It looked like the end of Asuna's relationship between her family. She was so angry with them that they couldn't see a way for them to ever make up again.

When they all heard the announcement calling Asuna to the councilor's office, they had thought that it would be the first step to help convince Asuna to try and make up with her family. But instead, it turned out to be one hell of a recipe for disaster. After the end of the second class, the three of them had been summoned by the teachers to be informed of the situation.

So afterwards, they had all met up at the rooftop at lunch and tried calling Asuna's cellphone, which was missing from her belongings, so it was likely that she took it with her. But Asuna was for some reason, refusing to answer their calls. Because of this, all kinds of speculations of what happened to Asuna began to fill their minds, which made them even more worried and anxious. They even began to get worried that something had happened to her after she ran away from school.

"Oh, man! What are we going to do?! Asuna ran away again to who knows where, she won't answer our calls, this is the worst! Do you think she's gone back to Shino's place?" Rika said, prancing around the roof, extremely worried for her friend.

"I wish that we could say that for sure… Isn't there really any way for us to find Asuna-san now?" Keiko asked Rika and Kazuto.

"I messaged Sinon about this whole situation, but she hasn't answered back yet. Maybe she turned her phone off…" Kazuto informed them.

"Well, isn't there anything else we can do? We need to know where she's gone to NOW; who knows what she could be going through right now!" Rika said frantically. Then, Kazuto voiced what was on his mind.

"Well… I have an idea that might work, but it involves someone that I'd kind of prefer not to involve." Kazuto said.

"Let's hear it first; we're kind of desperate here!" Rika demanded.

"It involves Chrysheight." Kazuto responded.

"Chrysheight…? You mean Kikuoka Seijirou-san?" Keiko asked.

"Oh yeah… he worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs… I almost forgot about that. But then the solution is right in front of us! Hurry up and call him!" Rika ordered.

"Like I said, I'm not too keen on calling him, especially after GGO. It's not that I hate the man, It's just… there's something about him that I can't entirely trust. Besides, if we ask for his help, who knows what kind of favor we'll be owing him in the future…" Kazuto explained.

It was true that while Kazuto was grateful to Kikuoka for helping him find Asuna after waking up from SAO, he'd always minded to get as less involved with him as possible, especially after the Death Gun incident. Seeing him in ALO was enough encounters with him.

"Well then, let me ask you this: Do you care more about Asuna's safety, or your stupid pride?" Rika asked, slightly exasperated.

"What do you mean? You know I'm not a prideful guy, and of course I care more about Asuna's safety than myself; you know that by now!" Kazuto countered.

"Then why the hesitation? Come on, call him already; we don't have any other options!" Rika demanded.

"Alright, alright." Kazuto relented. Rika was right. Asuna's safety had to come first. He took out his phone to call the man in question.

But then, as if on cue, his phone started ringing, indicating that he was receiving a call.

"Well, speak of the devil…" Kazuto stated. It was Kikuoka. Kazuto wasted no time switching the phone to speaker mode and picking it up.

"Hey, Kirito-kun. It's been a while." Kikuoka's voice said from the other end of the line.

"Nice timing on your end. I was just about to call you. Listen, we could really use your help. Right now…" Kazuto tried to explain the current situation, but Kikuoka cut him off.

"Wait, Kirito-kun, don't tell me, let me guess: It's about Asuna-san, am I right?" Kikuoka deduced, surprising the three of them.

"How did you know about that?" Keiko asked.

"Oh, are you with your friends right now, Kirito-kun? I guess this'll make things faster. Let me explain: I only found out about this whole thing this morning, actually. You see, Yuuki Kouichirou-san called me and explained everything to me and asked me to help find her." Kikuoka explained.

"Yuuki Kouichirou? You mean Asuna's brother?" Rika asked.

"Yes." Kikuoka confirmed. Kazuto sighed in relief. Kikuoka was already looking for Asuna, so, with his help, it would be easy to find her. But then, Kazuto remembered something: Asuna had run AWAY from her family. If her brother had asked Kikuoka to find her, then it was very likely that her whole family would know exactly where Asuna was staying at, should Kikuoka inform Asuna's brother of it. And after the mess her parents had made both yesterday and today, he was now extremely reluctant to trust her family to resolve the current issue properly.

"Hold on. If you already knew about Asuna running away, then the reason you called me is to ask me to tell me where exactly she's staying at, so that you can report back to her family, isn't it? If that's so, then you're out of luck, Kikuoka-san. We're not telling you where she is." Kazuto stated.

"Yeah! It's bad enough that Yuuki died only days ago and now her family's only made things worse for her. So you're not getting anything out of us!" Rika agreed.

"That's right! Asuna-san has suffered enough as it is!" Keiko chimed in. At this, Kikuoka sighed.

"I'm not too surprised to hear you all say that, and honestly, I mostly agree with you. And good guess, Kirito-kun, but your guess is off this time. I didn't call you to ask you where Asuna-san is. I already know that Asuna-san is staying with Asada Shino-san." Kikuoka said, which again, surprised the three of them.

"You already know that Asuna's staying with Sinon?" Kazuto asked, stunned.

"Yes, and don't worry you three. If I tell Kouichirou-san of where his sister is, only he will know about it, not their whole family." Kikuoka said, this time, confusing them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rika asked.

"I guess I should start from the beginning. Like I said, Kouichirou-san explained what happened yesterday this morning." Kikuoka began his explanation.

* * *

 **Flashback, Earlier that day, 9:15 AM**

Kikuoka arrived in his usual workplace at exactly 9. It would be a rare occasion for him to show up late for work, being a diligent man, despite his seemingly easy going attitude.

Currently, there was nothing that required his immediate attention. It was quiet as of now in the virtual worlds, with nothing serious happening. Of course, except for the fact the whole VR community was in an uproar because of the passing of Zekken. He had met Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights several times in the past few months in ALO, while partying up with Kirito's group. He also regretted that he wasn't able to be present for her last moments. He would've liked to see her off as well.

In any case, he was going to take his work a bit slow today; or that was the plan, until he received a call from someone who he never expected to call. When his phone rang, he answered it, wondering who it was until he recognized the voice.

"Moshi moshi? Hello, it's been a long time. This is Yuuki Kouichirou." The caller said, confirming his suspicion.

"Ah, yes, Yuuki-san… it's been a while. So, what can I do for you? If you're calling me like this out of the blue, then there must be something you need from me." Kikuoka deduced. He hadn't heard from Kouichirou for about a year, the last time they spoke being in the aftermath of the ALO incident.

"Glad to see you're as keen as I remember. Alright, I'll get straight to the point: I need your help." Kouichirou said solemnly. Hearing this, Kikuoka's tone became serious. It also spiked hs curiousity.

"Go on." Kikuoka said. He heard a sigh from Kouichirou's side.

"I honestly don't know where to even begin… I guess everything started this Sunday. A close friend of Asuna passed away that day." Kouichirou began his explanation.

"You mean Konno Yuuki-san. I've met her several times in ALO in the last few months. I also know that she and your sister were very close." Kikuoka said.

"Yes, I know. She told us all about it. But the problem didn't start there… it started yesterday. I won't go into too much details, but long story short, there was a huge disagreement between Asuna and our parents over some family issues, and… well… Asuna didn't take it very well. And now, she's run away from home." Kouichirou summarized the situation. The last statement caught Kikuoka's attention.

"She ran away?!" Kikuoka asked.

"Yes, she did. Now you should have an idea of what my request to you is." Kouichirou said.

"You want me to find your sister so that you can bring her home." Kikuoka deduced.

"Well, you're half right. I do want you to find her, but not so that I can bring her back home; at least not yet." Kouichirou stated, confusing Kikuoka.

"I'm sorry, but you lost me at the 'not bringing her home' part." Kikuoka said, implying for a clarification.

"The way she acted yesterday and looking at the aftermath of the argument, it must have been some serious argument. I'm not entirely sure that just bringing her home is going to solve this whole thing. My father's gone to Asuna's school to convince Asuna, but somehow, I have a feeling that it's not going to be that simple." Kouichirou said, sounding uncertain.

"I'm honestly not too surprised… Your sister can be a bit stubborn sometimes. Believe me, I know…" Kikuoka informed him. He remembered how stubborn and intimidating she had been during the Death Gun incident when she demanded to know everything about the investigation he had requested to Kirito at the time.

"I know that as well. After SAO, she's been more obstinate than I remember. The point is: I'm trying to find her so that we can both spend some time away from home. Believe it or not, I've been looking for an excuse to leave home since yesterday. Maybe if we spend some time away from home, I might be able to convince her to come home…" Kouichirou said, hoping that he was right. But Kikuoka could hear uncertainty in his voice.

"You don't sound entirely sure about it." Kikuoka stated.

"No… no, I'm not 100% sure. But I don't see another way. Kaa-san's the reason Asuna's gone and Tou-san's gone to the school to bring her back. But honestly, with everything they've been hiding from us, I have a feeling that Asuna won't be swayed so easily. Hell, I can't even blame her for running away. And I know that she may not listen to me either, but, I have to try. So please, Kikuoka-san, find her, please." Kouichirou pleaded with him. Kikuoka knew that he had to help him. He was the family of an SAO survivor, so he still had an obligation to help them in any way. Besides, it wasn't like he had anything else to do.

"Well, I'm more than willing to help, but… I thought your father had a few friends in the government. Wouldn't it have been better to ask them instead?" Kikuoka said. Kouichirou's face hardened a bit at this.

"Don't be ridiculous. Do you really think that I'd trust just anyone my father calls a friend, after Sugou?" Kouichirou asked rather sharply.

"Ah… good point…" Kikuoka said, slightly taken back by the sudden outburst. He had always been sensitive when Sugou Nobuyuki was related. It was only natural, he thought. After all, he along with his sister had known Sugou since he was younger and was well aware of Sugou's perverse nature since then. Not to mention that he ALMOST had gotten married to Asuna, which would no doubt have been catastrophic. To summarize, Kouichirou hated Sugou more than anyone he had met, even more so than Kirito or Asuna did. Oftentimes, just hearing or mentioning his name was enough to rile the normally calm young man up.

"If the bastard wasn't in jail already, I would've beaten him to a pulp myself! My only regret regarding that bastard's arrest was that I wasn't there when that Kirigaya kid put him down!" Kouichirou raved, fuming.

"Easy there, Yuuki-san. Sugou's already gotten what he deserved, so there's no point in getting angry about it now." Kikuoka said to the young man.

"I know… it's just… I wish I had a go at him when he got what was coming for him…" Kouichirou said, calming down a bit. Kikuoka decided to tell him something that may satisfy him at least.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: A Strategy Meeting)**

"I suppose I should tell you this then. It should help calm you down. Not a lot of people know what I'm about to tell you. We all know that after the end of SAO, 300 people were used as test subjects for Sugou's experiment. And most unfortunately for him, it turned out that one of the subjects was the son of the police chief. From what I've heard, after ALO, the chief basically locked himself away in his office to gather all the evidence he could against Sugou. And thanks to that, now, Sugou is practically a top-security prisoner in the cell."

"Not only that, after Sugou attacked Kirigaya-kun after he freed your sister, he also testified that before he attacked, Sugou had consumed some kind of medicine in front of him. Kirigaya-kun suspected that they were drugs, and it turned out that they were indeed illegal substances. So, soon after, the police raided his house and after some investigation, discovered a considerable amount of drugs inside. And after further investigation, it turned out that he was involved in a few drug trafficking and possessions in the past as well. Just those drug charges alone are more than enough reason to have him locked up for more than 2 decades. And since his time in prison began, Sugou's been going through addiction theopy as well as a psychiatric evaluation. "

"Also, since VR is continuing to expand, new laws regarding crimes in the virtual world is underway for implementation. As of now, Sugou is charged for just the crimes he committed in the real world, but since the worst of his crimes were committed in the virtual world, when the laws do come to effect, it's very likely that Sugou will serve additional sentences in prison. So, long story short, in the best case scenario, Sugou will have no chance of parole for a very long time as well as have a sentence that's close enough to a life imprisonment." Kikuoka finished his long explanation. This should be enough to calm him down.

 **(A/N: Sugou consuming the drug part was omitted from the anime and manga version of the Fairy Dance Arc.)**

Kouichirou listened quietly as Kikuoka explained the previously unknown details to him. Now that was something that he needed to hear, after the infuriating event that happened last night.

"Well, that's good to hear… and to think that the people that he used for his ambition led to his downfall… and now he has to rot in jail for the rest of his life for that… it serves that arrogant bastard right… I guess I really needed to hear that. Thank you, Kikuoka-san." Kouichirou said with satisfaction and gratitude in his voice.

"Your welcome. Alright, that's that; now let's get back on topic. Kouichirou-san, I'll do what I can to track her down. But do you have any idea of where she went?" Kikuoka asked, now determined to help the young man.

"Yesterday, that Kirigaya kid called us and said that she was going to stay at one of her friend's house. But he didn't say exactly who." Kouichirou said.

"Kirigaya-kun, huh…?" Kikuoka questioned. Of course he would be involved in this…

Knowing that Kirito usually preferred to avoid him in real life if possible, especially after GGO, he knew that just directly asking him where she is was probably not going to work.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: No Escape)**

"Do you have any other clues? With just that, it's going to be difficult to track her location down…" Kikuoka asked, hopeful that he would have other clues.

"Fortunately, yes. Yesterday, when Asuna left home, I tried to chase her down, but she had about a minute headstart. And by the time I reached her, she'd gotten away in a taxi. But I do remember its license plate and the cab's company. That's why I called you. You'll have an easier time getting the info out of them than me. Here's the license plate and its company." Kouichirou proceeded to give Kikuoka the desired information. This was definitely a solid starting point.

"Yes, this is definitely a start. I'll contact the cab company immediately and call you back." Kikuoka said. Kouichirou sighed in relief.

"Thank you. And one more thing: I suppose it should go without saying that you should inform just me and not my family about this." Kouichirou said.

"Yes, I understand. My lips are sealed. Your parents won't know about this. But… I guess it's safe to assume that you will tell them about this at some point, am I right?" Kikuoka asked, wanting to confirm his assumption.

"Once I manage to convince Asuna and go back home together, I will. I've been looking for an excuse to get out of this house and this gives be a perfect excuse to leave for a while." Kouichirou confirmed.

"Glad to hear. Alright, Yuuki-san, I'll look into the info you've given me. I'll get back to you once I know her location." Kikuoka said.

"Thanks again, Kikuoka-san. I'm counting on you." Kouichirou said gratefully.

"You're welcome. Well then." With that, the two hung up.

Now having a new priority at hand, Kikuoka started his investigation by calling the cab company.

 **Flashback End**

* * *

After hearing the content of the discussion between the two of them, Kazuto, Rika and Keiko were surprised. Kikuoka continued his explanation. As they heard through the details, they felt a mixture of satisfaction from hearing Sugou's well-earned punishment as well as concern for Asuna and slight suspicion towards her brother.

"And so, I was able to talk with the driver of that cab. He confirmed that he drove a young woman matching Asuna-san's description to Asada-san's address. So yes, it's pretty obvious of where she's staying at this point." Kikuoka finished his explanation.

"Well… hah… you did your investigation thoroughly, as always. So, do you think you can really trust Asuna's brother to convince her, when their parents have failed to do so?" Kazuto asked, now curious of how Asuna's brother planned to approach his sister.

"I really think that he meant every word he said. Besides, he's the only person I know who hates Sugou Nobuyuki more than you do, Kirito-kun. Besides, from what I've heard from him, I think Kouichirou-san's pretty angry at his family for making Asuna-san run away and he also said that he was looking for an excuse to get away from home for a little while, so right now, he should have gotten out of his home and is waiting somewhere for my call. That's why I think if anyone from the Yuuki's can convince Asuna-san right now, it's Kouichirou-san." Kikuoka explained, supporting Kouichirou's case.

"Well, it's good to know that at least someone from Asuna's family agrees with her for a change." Rika stated, relieved.

"So, have you called Asuna-san's brother yet, Kikuoka-san?" Keiko asked.

"Not yet. I was going to after I finish this call. I'm pretty sure that he'll go to Asada-san's place as soon as I give him the information. In any case, I think it's important for Kouichirou-san to meet with Asuna-san. So, you three, please give Kouichirou-san a chance. Don't try and stop him from meeting Asuna-san. And don't tell Asuna-san about this either. If she knows, then she may try and run again." Kikuoka requested. The three of them stayed slient for a moment, thinking the request over. The three of them looked at each other and they all gave nods, unanimously agreeing.

"Fine… we'll give him a chance. But if he fails, then tell him that we'll do the convincing until she agrees. Do you understand?" Kazuto said to Kikuoka.

"I do. I'll notify Asada-san about this as well. Thanks for your cooperation. I'll call again if I hear anything. I expect you to do the same." Kikuoka requested.

"Deal. Then talk to you later." Kazuto said before hanging up.

"Well, that was… interesting." He said, not really sure of how he should be feeling about this development.

"Honestly, I don't know whether I should be relieved or worried." Rika said, voicing Kazuto's exact thoughts.

Just then, Kazuto's phone rang. From the tone it gave off, it meant that he received a message. And to his relief, it was Asuna.

"Hey, it's Asuna! She texted back!" Kazuto informed Rika and Keiko.

"Where?! What does it say?!" Rika asked, running over to where Kirito was in a blink of an eye.

Kazuto opened the message in front of them. It was rather short, though.

* * *

 _Kirito-kun,_

 _I'm sorry for making you all worry. But right now, I just can't bring myself to talk to anyone… I need some time alone… I promise I'll call back when I feel better. I'll be heading back to Sinonon's place when her classes are over._

 _Asuna._

* * *

They were all slightly relieved to receive the message. While they still had no idea of what Asuna was doing currently, at least she said that she would be heading back to Sinon's place.

For a brief moment before Kikuoka's call, a worry had lingered in his head: that Asuna may try and 'go to where Yuuki was'. But he quickly dismissed the thought. Asuna wasn't that weak. She may be going through hell right now, but if meeting Yuuki had any significance in her life, she would never choose that cowardly option.

Asuna had told him shortly after meeting Yuuki in real life for the first time, that meeting and seeing her get through everyday with nothing but optimism and enthusiasm, despite her illness. And so, she had told him that she too would live her life to the fullest. And he knew better than anyone that she would keep her words. Besides, if Asuna did do the unthinkable action, then Yuuki would no doubt be disappointed in her. He knew that Asuna would never want that.

"Well, since she asked us not to call her, I guess we'll just have to go with Kikuoka-san's suggestion and wait. Let's hope that he's right." Rika said, and Kazuto and Keiko nodded to this.

For now, the best they could do was to wait and pray for a good outcome. They all looked up at the sky, which had been a bit clouded up to the point it was covering up a good amount of sunlight. Now the cloud cleared up a bit, and some sunlight began to shine down on the school. They hoped that this would be a good sign.

' _Please, let everything work out well…_ ' The three of them thought.

Soon, the lunch period was over, so the three of them dispersed and headed to their respective classes.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's it for this chapter. I'll be working on the next chapter soon. Look forward to it! And a big thumbs up to the guys who guessed correctly in chapter 11 of who Kouichirou called! It was indeed our familiar government agent. These 4 are the people who guessed correctly:**

 **Commando2341**

 **jgkitarel**

 **Lord Jace**

 **TheSib**

 **Nice thinking, you 4!**

 **Now, for the news I said above: I'm now looking for beta readers, as in readers who look for grammar or spelling errors and the style and characterizations in the story. I want this story to be as flawless as possible. So, if you like this story and want to help me make it perfect, then please give me a message!**

 **Also, this story has now reached 17,000 views! I guess it won't be long till it reaches 20,000 at this rate! Keep it up guys, and don't forget to PM or review! They're what motivate me to keep writing! And as always, please look forward to the next chapter.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	14. The Brother's Credibility - Part 2

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter. Sorry it took so long. I've had a really busy month.**

 **Hope you had a safe and fun Halloween. I dressed up as something, but I'll let you guess who I went as. It shouldn't be that hard to guess.**

 **I'll say a few things before we begin: A reviewer has criticized my use of using the Japanese words in the story, and it turns out that he isn't the only one who thought so. So, from now on, you won't see the Japanese words as much as before, but I'll still use them on a few occasions.**

 **And about the recap of the story being too long? Maybe so, but let me remind you that in my story, Asuna's family didn't know anything about Yuuki or the events of Mother's Rosario. I didn't think that Asuna's grief would be as impactful as it was if I had just skipped the retelling of Yuuki's story. Plus, during the recap, her parents commented on Asuna's story, making them understand her pain better, and again, I don't think that it would have been as effective if I outright skipped the recap. So I have no regrets about making the recap in chapters 3 to 6, and I'm quite sure that it'll stay that way for a long time.**

 **But at the same time, I appreciate the criticisms that you've given me. I'll remind you all that this is my first ever fanfiction and I'm still learning about the fanfic progress. So what I hope is that you appreciate my story but at the same time, tell me if you think something to criticize. Just make sure that they aren't too negative.**

 **Alright, back to the story. Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters, or the OSTs. They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 14: The Brother's Credibility – Part 2

* * *

 **3:00 PM, outside of Asada Shino's school.**

Shino rushed back to her condo in a hurry. She was already planning to head home immediately after school was over, but her rush to get back to her home doubled after seeing the message sent to her by Kirito. She had turned her phone off, like she always did during school, but seeing the content of the messages that Kirito had sent her during school, she really wished that she hadn't, even if it meant getting a bit lectured by her teacher.

School had just ended and it was only then she saw Kirito's messages, which said that Asuna had run away once again and would be heading back to her place, she quickly headed to the bus station to take the bus that would take her back to her neighborhood the quickest.

On her way though, she received a call from someone she wasn't really expecting: Kikuoka Seijirou. She wasted no time in picking it up.

"Moshi moshi? (Hello?) Asada-san? Hello, it's been a while." Kikuoka's voice said from the other end of the line.

"Hello, Kikuoka-san. I know that you probably called me for a reason, but can you please make it quick? I'm kind of in a hurry here." Shino said, a bit hastily.

"I can guess why… It's because of Asuna-san, isn't it?" Kikuoka said, which surprised her that she stopped dead on her tracks.

"How did you…" Shino blurted out before she could stop herself.

"It's alright, Asada-san. Asuna-san is the reason I'm making this call in the first place. I'm well aware that she's currently staying with you as of now." Kikuoka said, surprising her even further. Just how much did he know already?

"Alright, how did you even find out about this?" Shino asked, a bit flustered.

"Asada-san, please don't misunderstand. I only found out about this whole fiasco this morning. Asuna-san's brother called me and told me everything." Kikuoka explained, then he proceeded to tell her what he had explained to Kazuto and his friends a few hours ago.

Shino tried to make sense of the whole thing. So, Asuna's brother, who apparently also blamed his family for making Asuna leave their home, had asked Kikuoka to find out where she is, so now that he did, Asuna's brother wanted to come to her place so that he could at least try and talk with her. But the way Asuna was right now, she really wasn't sure if that was a good idea.

"I don't know, Kikuoka-san… Do you really think that you can trust him? I just saw the messages Kirito sent me, and it looks like her family trying to see her only made matters worse." Shino explained. She heard a slightly frustrated sigh from Kikuoka.

"Kouichirou-san was afraid that may happen… But, since Kouichirou-san seems to agree with Asuna-san on the whole family crisis, I think you should give him a chance to talk to her. Of course, I know that with everything that's happened, you're reluctant to trust him, but give him the chance. If anything, I think it gives us even more reason to trust Kouichirou-san. After all, he's left his home for his sister's sake. I think it's better for the two of them to spend some sibling time together. So, please, Asada-san. You know that Asuna-san can't avoid her family forever." Kikuoka requested.

Shino took some time to think about Kikuoka's suggestions. He was right; even though her family was the source of this whole problem, she knew that she had to go back eventually. Besides, if her brother really did disagree with their parents, than it really did make sense for him to have the best chance of calming her down.

"Alright, he can come over." Shino finally gave the permission, deciding to give Asuna's brother a chance.

"Great. Is it alright with you if I tell him your address so that he can come to your condo? With how Asuna-san is right now, I doubt that she'd want to go outside." Kikuoka asked.

"It's fine, as long as he does manage to convince Asuna." Shino said.

"If he can't convince her, then I'll let you and your friends to do the convincing. I'll tell Kouichirou-san about this as well." Kikuoka informed her.

"Okay. So, when is he coming?" Shino asked.

"Does 5 o'clock today sound alright?" The government agent asked.

"Yes… I'll keep Asuna in my place till he gets here. And I hope, for goodness's sake, that her brother has something good up his sleeve." Shino answered, clearly showing that she was still a bit reluctant to trust him.

"I hope so too, Asada-san. I really do." Kikuoka responded.

"Well, I've got to go, my bus is here." Shino hurriedly said and hung up, seeing that in the distance, the bus that she was looking to get on was approaching the bus stop.

She managed to get on the bus just in time. It started to head toward her home, hopeful that Asuna would be there like Kirito's message said that she would.

* * *

After a few transfers, Shino finally arrived at the stop that was near her apartment. She wasted no time in running off towards her condo, praying that Asuna would be there. When she arrived at her condo, she quickly ascended the stairs that led to her room. As soon as she was on the second floor, to her relief, she saw Asuna sitting on the ground beside the door, with her legs folded and her face buried in her knees.

"Asuna!" Shino said, glad to see that Asuna was alright; at least physically.

She saw Asuna give off a slight flinch in response to her voice, but otherwise, gave no reaction.

"Asuna…?" Shino asked again, approaching her and gently putting her hand on Asuna's shoulder. It was then that Asuna finally lifted her face and looked at her friend.

When Shino saw her friend's face, she froze, her heart sinking a bit.

Looking directly into her face, she saw that it was pale and expressionless, but that wasn't the worst part; it was her eyes that made her heart sink. Asuna's eyes… they looked so… void… hollow… empty… They contained nothing… no sorrow, no anger, no pain; not a single emotion. It was as if her soul had been sapped of all emotion.

What was even worse about this was the fact that that empty look in both her face and eyes was something that she was so painfully familiar with. After the post office incident, whenever she looked at her own reflection in the mirror, a face of a little girl who was so emotionally drained so that she could no longer even cry had stared back at her countless times. Asuna's current expression reminded her exactly of those tormented reflections of herself back in the day and it scared her to no end.

"Sinonon…" Asuna murmured so quietly so that Shino barely managed to hear her voice. Her voice was equally hollow, making Shino's worry worsen.

A few seconds passed, but Asuna gave no further reaction. Honestly, Shino was hoping that she would start crying again… it would be so much better for her to cry and let it out rather than look so empty and soulless.

"Asuna… what… what happened to you…?" Shino finally managed to ask. But she didn't answer back. She only continued to blankly stare back at her.

Shino pulled her friend into an embrace, sympathizing with her. After a few moments, Shino felt a single tear silently flowing down from Asuna's cheek to her shoulder. Shino was slightly relieved. At least she still showed a sign of emotion, even if it was a small one. She continued to hold onto her friend and after a few more moments, Asuna eventually returned the gesture.

* * *

 **Inside Shino's condo, April 1, 2026, 4:30 PM.**

Asuna had pretty much stayed in the park for a few hours until some people started to come to the playground. Since she was still wearing her school uniform at the time, she didn't want to attract unnecessary attention or people to start asking her questions. So she pretty much spent the afternoon, wandering around the rural parts of the city, making sure to stay out of sight as much as possible and never staying in one place for too long. It was around 3 o'clock that she came to Shino's apartment to wait for her arrival.

Of course, knowing that Kirito and the others would be worried about her, she had to send a message to them to put them at ease; for the moment anyway. She felt guilty about it though… she didn't want to lie to them. She definitely wasn't okay; not after everything that had happened.

She felt so numb… the emotional pain she had experienced recently was unlike any she had faced before.

One may think that after SAO, you would've already suffered the pain of losing someone, but not for Asuna. Yes, she had seen people perish in front of her, but it was only by sheer chance that none of the people that she called true friends were among the perished. She did mourn for the dead during the death game, but they never lingered for too long as their deaths only strengthened her resolve to finish the death game once and for all.

So, being unexperienced with the grief of losing a loved one, had hit her so much harder than she had expected. Actually, she had an idea of how painful it was. She had experienced it very briefly when she and Kirito saw Yui disappear right in front of them in SAO, below the Black Iron Palace. It was only thanks to Kirito's quick thinking that she didn't have to fully experience the horrendous pain. And obviously, that brief experience wasn't enough to prepare her for this kind of pain.

The pain just kept reminding her of the current reality: her sister-like friend gone and her family bonds broken. And a part of her wished that she had been the one taken by death in Yuuki's place, rather than go through with this torment. After all, her life had been spared on a mere whim on Kayaba's part.

Asuna only broke out of her trance by the noise coming from the opening door. Shino came into the room from the kitchen.

Shino again observed her friend. She didn't look much different than when she found her outside only a few minutes ago. She had already changed to a more comfortable attire. But Asuna hadn't done the same. She was still in her school uniform.

Deciding that she really needed to break Asuna out of her mental shell, Shino started trying to talk to her.

"Asuna… I know what happened today at your school. I thought we agreed that you'd try and talk with your parents when you got the chance." Shino said, wanting to hear what Asuna had to say about it.

Asuna took a few seconds before answering.

"Yeah… I did, didn't I…? Well, it matters little now… What's done is done…" Asuna said, her voice still quiet.

"But you can't keep running away from them…" Shino started.

"Then what else am I supposed to do…?! My own mother abandoned me during SAO and I'm just a failure in her eyes! Now that it's all out in the open, there's no way to fix this!" Asuna cut in, throwing whatever Shino wanted to say out the window.

"Huh? Your mother abandoned you…?" Shino asked, not knowing the details on the discussion between Asuna and her father. So Asuna just proceeded to summarize the details about her mother's actions that Shino didn't already know. She just made sure to skim through, because just talking about it was torturous enough.

When she finished the explanation, Shino felt sympathetic but also a bit annoyed at her friend.

"I see… but… don't you think that you're being a little too hard on your mother, though? She did go through a lot during SAO… you might be letting your emotion cloud your judgment…" Shino reasoned.

"Maybe so… but… I've had enough… I don't care anymore… It's all too much…" Asuna moaned.

"Asuna…" Shino tried to say more, but Asuna once again cut her off.

"I'm never going to see them again… I don't care what happens to them anymore…! I…" Asuna was about to get into another raving session. Shino decided to stop her before she went to that.

"No, you do care! That's why it hurts for you, Asuna!" Shino said, trying to snap her out of it.

"Yeah… So I'm going to stop caring…! I can't take it anymore…!" Asuna cried, unable to remain calm.

"So you're going to keep running away? Asuna, this isn't like you at all." Shino said, her face hardening slightly.

"Maybe… but I don't care… I never want to see them again… I don't care what happens to them now…! I wish they'd just drop dead…!" Asuna started to rave again. But before either of them realized, Asuna had fallen to her side on the floor, a hand on her cheek, and Shino was huffing, her right palm stinging slightly. Shino had out of the blue, slapped her friend; not hard enough to really hurt, but enough to stun Asuna and knock her off to her side. They both stared at each other, dazed. Shino was the first to recover from the shock.

"Don't…" Shino started, trying to compose herself.

"Don't say things that you know that you'll regret, Asuna! Don't be such a coward!" The moment Asuna wished that her family was dead, something inside Shino had made her spring into action: namely slapping her friend to tell her to get a grip.

"You have no idea… how painful it is to grow up without a proper family!" Shino declared.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: Her Actual World)**

"At least you have both of your parents with you, even if they're the cause of your grief right now, but me? Do I have to remind you that I grew up without even knowing my father? And my mom's not exactly in a normal condition?" Shino asked, not breaking eye contact with Asuna.

"I…" Asuna mumbled, at a loss for words. She already did know about how Shino had grown up without her father.

"You want to know why I never knew him? I was only a baby when it happened. One day my parents were on their way to visit their parents with me. But on their way, our car got into an accident during the night and our car fell off a long way from the road. I was virtually unharmed because I was fastened to a baby seat, and my mom was more or less fine too, at least physically. But my dad, he wasn't so lucky… He was hurt badly from the crash, but their phones were broken from the crash and the place that we'd been crashed into was so rural that not even the locals passed by very often. And by the time the accident was discovered, 6 hours had already passed. And my mom… she could do nothing but watch… as my dad bled to death during that whole time… And she… she's never been the same afterwards." Shino told her painful story to Asuna, her voice shaking more and more.

Asuna was shocked. She knew about her family's 'unusual' circumstances, but never knew until now of how they came to be that way.

"I… I had no idea…" Asuna said, now feeling very shameful for her mental raving.

"After that, mom's mentality's like… it was like it was reverted back to that of a child's… and after the accident, she got rid of everything that had to do with dad, including pictures. She never once even talked about him in front of me. It was as if she was trying to forget all about him. So for a while, I didn't even know what my father looked like. But my grandparents had managed to salvage some of dad's belongings before mom threw them away. And when I was old enough to understand, they showed me the pictures of him; of him and mom together, specifically…" Shino trailed off, remembering the day that she first saw the pictures of her parents together. In all of them, they both looked so happy together, for which she was extremely glad to see.

"Every time I tried to asked mom about dad, she'd always thrown a tearful fit. So I learned to not bring up the subject, even though I was dying to know. But, inspite of all that, she still loved me. So I wanted to protect her from any kind of harm. And… that's why during the post office robbery, I… I attacked the robber when he threatened my mom at gunpoint. Even if I could turn back time, I would've done the same thing… I just… I just wanted to protect her…" Shino said, feeling her eyes start to gather tears.

Asuna could say nothing, feeling her shame increase ten fold. Then Shino took hold of Asuna's shoulders with both of her hands and looked at her straight in the eye, her expression serious, with some tears still lingering in her eyes, but never falling down her eyes.

"Asuna, just don't say anything and listen to me." Shino said. Asuna only nodded slightly, indicating that she had her full attention.

"For the longest time during my early childhood, I'd always thought that my mother hated my father. That was the only reason I could think of at the time. But, after seeing the picture, and hearing about everything she'd been through, I realized. Mom never hated dad; it was just the opposite: she'd loved him too much… she just couldn't bear the fact that he was gone…" Shino said.

"And it might be far-fetched of me to say this, but maybe it was the same for your mother. Maybe she didn't try to let go of you because she didn't care… but rather because she cared for you too much…" Shino deduced.

Asuna stayed frozen by Shino's words. Shino may have a point. Her mind finally seemed to listen to a bit of reason now. Shino seemed to realize this and continued.

"Besides, comparing Yuuki's life and mine to yours, honestly, things aren't so bad for you. At least you still have a chance make things right again; at least you have a normal life compared to ours! So please Asuna, stop running away from them. Set things right the next time you meet. If not for yourself, then for Yuuki; she would've wanted the same." Shino finished her reasoning.

At this, Asuna found herself thinking deeply. Shino was right. Comparing her life to Shino's and Yuuki's (minus the death game), she had nothing to complain about.

Although, she did have to question one thing: about her mother. Was that really the case? Did her mother really go through more than what she gave credit for during SAO? Did she really care for her more than she realized beneath her seemingly uncaring actions? It was just too paradoxical, looking at everything her mother had said and done. Just thinking about it confused her as well as deepen her sorrow.

Then, the door bell rang. At this, Shino looked at the clock, which was 15 minutes before 5 PM. This could only mean that the person that Kikuoka said was here: Asuna's brother.

"Hang on. I'll be right back." She said to Asuna.

She quickly went to answer the door and sure enough, a handsome looking young man was standing at the door as soon as she opened it.

"You're Asada Shino-san, right?" He asked her. She nodded affirmative, then stepped out and closed the door so that Asuna wouldn't hear their conversation.

"And you're Yuuki Kouichirou-san, am I right? Kikuoka-san told me that you'd come." Shino asked, her expression containing both relief as well as suspicion.

"Yes, I am." The young man answered.

"Alright, I'll get right to the point. Your sister's going through so much right now. You know that much, right?" Shino asked.

"Yes, I'm well aware. And I also know that my father's convincing earlier today didn't do much good either." Kouichirou stated.

"Which is why I'm hoping, for Asuna's sake, that you have something better up your sleeve. And speaking of that, before I let you speak to Asuna, please promise just one thing." Shino requested.

"What is it?" Kouichirou asked.

"If you don't manage to persuade Asuna, then you'll stop bothering her until she agrees to go back home. Let me and Asuna's friends do that. We're the only ones she'll listen to if it comes to that." Shino half requested and half demanded.

"Alright, fine." Kouichirou agreed. Satisfied that she had his word, Shino opened the door again, leading him inside quietly.

Looking inside, Kouichirou could see his runaway sister in the room, much to his relief.

Asuna, who seemed like she was thinking hard about something, didn't realize that Shino came back and had someone follow behind her. Seeing this, Shino decided that she finally let the siblings talk.

"Asuna… look… I know that you may not be up for it, but someone's here to see you." Shino said to her. At this, Asuna snapped out of her thoughts and looked up. Her reaction was predictable. Her eyes widened in shock, not expecting to see her brother right in front of her.

"Hey… Asuna…" Kouichirou greeted his sister, his expression unreadable.

"How… what…" Asuna stammered, unable to put together a coherent sentence. Now that her head had fully registered the fact that her brother was here, one of the people she didn't want to see again, Asuna got up to try and get away. But seeing this coming, Kouichirou blocked her way and firmly held her arms.

"Asuna, don't try and run, because I'm not losing you this time!" Kouichirou declared, his grip not loosening.

"No…! Let me go!" Asuna cried, desperately struggling to free herself. At this, Shino decided to intervene; not Kouichirou, but Asuna.

"Asuna, please don't struggle. I think you should give your brother a chance." Shino tried to reason with Asuna again. Asuna stared at her friend, surprised.

"How do you know who he is, Sinonon?" She asked. At this, Shino inadvertantly avoided her eyes for a very brief moment, but Asuna, who was pretty much an expert at reading body languages, even the seemingly subtle ones, didn't miss this and got the message instantly: she had known that her brother would be coming here.

"You knew… You knew that he was coming here to get me, didn't you?!" Asuna asked Shino in utter disbelief, feeling betrayed.

"Asuna, before you get accusational, let me explain." Kouichirou said, not wanting to delay this argument any longer. Plus, if he didn't do something, Asuna's friendship with the girl present may have been in jeopardy. It worked as Asuna tore her attention away from her friend and to him instead.

"Give me a reason why I should trust you." Asuna said pointedly, her entire emotional senses on full alert.

"One, because I'm your brother." Kouichirou replied.

"Oh, as if that matters anymore!" Asuna snorted, unwilling to trust him.

"And two, I'm in the same situation as you." Kouichirou said, grabbing Asuna's attention.

"Huh…?" Asuna asked, now beyond confused.

"Asuna, the thing is… I ran away from home too…" Kouichirou finally dropped the bomb in the shell. Hearing this, Asuna froze where she was. She'd stopped struggling at hearing this unexpected information.

"You…? Ran away from home…?" Asuna repeated her brother's statement in disbelief.

"Yeah, and believe it or not, I've wanted to get away since I was in middle school… You should know just as I do of just how suffocating it is in our house. But I endured it all… partly for your sake." Kouichirou explained, and Asuna found herself listening intently, especially at the part that he'd wanted to run away since middle school. Her 'perfect' older brother who was practically the pride of the family had run away from home? And he'd been wanting to do so for a long time? Asuna again tried to process this dizzying information. But again, the cynical side of her mind dulled her judgment.

"And why should I believe that? When you've always been the centre of attention and of mother's praises when I've always been nothing but the family's underdog?" Asuna questioned.

It was true; in comparison to her, her brother had passed through his academics with flying colors with no noticeable delays. While Asuna's grades had been top notch as well, the SAO incident had delayed their mother's plans for her significantly, as well as slightly impact her grades in the aftermath.

"You should know Asuna, that the more of that kind of attention the heavier the following responsibilities are. I may have been a gifted student and worker, but even I'm human; even I have limits of how much I can endure. All those responsibilities and expectations on one person, it's too frustrating and suffocating. You agree with me on that, don't you?" Kouichirou asked his sister. To this, no matter how much Asuna wanted to deny, she couldn't help but agree.

"And what I'm about to say isn't something I want to boast about, but you know why I was away from home most of the time? Why I chose to work and rarely come home? It was because of our mother. I chose work over being near her for too long. That's how much I wanted to get away. But of course, I guess I was being selfish in doing that… I should've stayed and helped you bear some of the burden instead of keep getting away. So, I'm sorry." Kouichirou said, his voice clearly apologetic. Asuna listened on in silence, all thoughts of resistance forgotten.

"If that doesn't convince you, then let me ask you this: you know that I was the one that bought the copy of SAO and the NerveGear, don't you? Why do you think that I bought it in the first place?" He asked his sister. Asuna contemplated on this question as she had never given it much thought. After all, she had more important things to worry about at the time, like fighting to survive the swordland and come back to the real world.

"It was to at least get her off my back. It's frustrating to have to deal with her all the time, so I needed a way to forget about the burden, and SAO was supposed to be just for that. But instead, it only led to this… all of this… you fighting through hell, Recto Progress' collapse, the nightmare with Sugou, you leaving home, and everything…" Kouichirou lamented.

Honestly, she didn't even know before SAO that her brother was even interested in games, so it really took her by surprise when she'd discovered her brother in his room with the newly bought NerveGear and the copy of SAO. He would've played it on the launch day, if it hadn't been for the fact that he had the business trip for Recto at the time, and seeing her brother disappointed that he wouldn't be able to play it had definitely raised her curiosity for the unknowns of the virtual world, even though she had expressed her disinterest for the game when one of her juniors of her school at the time had asked her if she wanted to buy it. And letting her curiosity get the better of her at the last minute, she had logged into SAO after her brother left for the trip, leading to her being trapped inside the swordland for two whole years. And deep inside, Asuna knew that her brother had always felt guilty about the whole thing, even though he'd already apologized to her about it over and over.

"So, Asuna, I have a suggestion… I think we both can use some time away from home, our parents, and everything else. So if we're both going to do it, then we might as well do it together. I'll call the school and inform them that I'm taking you for a small trip. So, what do you say? Let's go somewhere… anywhere you want for a few days… Just the two of us…" Kouichirou finally spoke what he had in mind, desperately praying in the inside that Asuna would accept it.

Asuna, for the most of the duration of her brother's explanation, hadn't moved much; her emotional tension becoming weaker with each of his words. She thought over her brother's offer. Honestly speaking, if everything her brother said was true, then she really had nothing to lose. The rational side that was always being dominated by her cynical side finally started to take back her thinking process.

"Then… our parents don't know about this? About what you're doing?" Asuna asked.

"Like I said, I ran away like from home. I even left a letter explaining what I'm trying to do. And if they want me to come back, they won't even try and do anything funny. Just trust me on this, Asuna. Have I lied to you before? Our parents may be a different story, but have I, to you? So please, Asuna. Just let me do this." Kouichirou reasoned. Again, when Asuna thought about it, she couldn't deny that he had a point. As far as she knew, he had no reason to lie to her at all. After all, they both had to endure the constant overwhelming pressure from their family and so they more or less understood each other, and they had nothing to gain by lying to each other. At long last, she relented by slowly nodding her head, to both Kouichirou's and Shino's infinite relief.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: So I Met Her.)**

"So, you will?" Kouichirou asked, hardly able to believe that his idea had worked.

"If you ask again, I'm going to change my mind." Asuna said, with a very subtle hint of joking tone in her response. Kouichirou was very, very relieved at this.

"Thank you… Asuna, for believing me." Kouichirou said to her.

"Don't thank me just yet. I still don't trust you completely; not yet." Asuna said.

"Well, that's good enough, for now anyways." Kouichirou said, still processing the fact that he'd managed to convince his sister; partially, yes, but it was better than nothing.

"So, you said to go to somewhere away from home. What do you have in mind?" Asuna asked. Now more curious than skeptical.

"I was going to let you decide that. We can go to anywhere we want, as long as it's within the country." Kouichirou said. Asuna had an immediate answer to where she wanted to go.

"I think I know where I want to go. You should have an idea of where I'm talking about. We've been there several times when we were younger." Asuna said. Kouichirou wondered what she was talking about, but then an idea flashed up in his head.

"When we were younger? You mean…" He trailed off.

"Yes. There." Asuna confirmed for him.

"Alright, if you say so. The place isn't too far away from Tokyo, so I guess it'll do just fine. Come to think of it, we haven't been there in a long time, haven't we?" Kouichirou asked.

"No, we haven't, which is all the more reason why I want to go." Asuna said, a bit firmly.

"Okay, it's decided then. So, do you want to go tomorrow then?" Kouichirou asked.

"The sooner, the better." Asuna responded. Some time away from home to go to the place in mind sounded just like what they both needed, if her brother was really telling the truth.

"Thanks, Asuna. I'll get the express tickets for tomorrow morning. Meet me at Tokyo Station at 9:30 AM tomorrow. I'll be able to get a ticket for that time." Kouichirou said gratefully.

"Alright." Asuna mumbled.

"Okay, then see you there tomorrow, Asuna. And please show up. I promise that our parents didn't put me up to this." Kouichirou said, emphasizing that fact.

"I'll be the one to judge that, but… I'll be there." Asuna responded. While she was still suspicious, she decided to trust him for now. Kouichirou smiled at this. Maybe things would be okay, after all.

"Then I guess I'll take my leave. Thanks again, little sister." Her brother said, getting up to leave. Asuna only nodded silently. Shino, who saw that Kouichirou was getting ready to leave, also got up to escort him out. She had just silently watched the entire exchange between the Yuuki siblings, ready to interfere and ask Kouichirou to leave if it needed to come to that. But thankfully, that hadn't been necessary.

When they stepped out the door, Shino again closed the door.

"Well, I have to say, Yuuki-san, you did a good job convincing Asuna. I was worried that you might make things worse, but glad to see that I was wrong. Though I hope this trip of yours you're planning does manage to convince her completely." Shino stated.

"So do I, Asada-san. And… thank you, for keeping my little sister safe, and being with her when she needed the help." Kouichirou said.

"Don't mention it… Asuna's a good friend. She helped me when I needed it, and it's my turn to do the same." Shino stated with a small smile.

"Good to hear. Please make sure Asuna comes tomorrow." Kouichirou requested.

"Don't worry, she'll be there." Shino said.

"Thank you again, Asada-san. Then, goodbye." Kouichirou said. He proceeded to head down the stairs of the condo and out he building. Seeing her friend's brother leave, Shino went back into her condo.

There, she found Asuna still sitting where she had been. At least Asuna wasn't looking so blank anymore. If this little away from home trip works, then she hoped that Asuna would be able to face her family again, as well as deal with her emotions.

When she noticed Shino come back in, Asuna asked softly: "Sinonon? I could really use some explanation here…" Shino decided to give her the summary of everything that happened.

"Kirito messaged me in the noon of everything that happened at your school today. I only read it after school ended. I usually turn my phone off during school, and on my way home after reading the message, Kikuoka-san called, telling me that your brother was looking for you and that thanks to the license plate of the taxi that you took to get away from your home, he tracked your location down to here. And, I was reluctant to trust your brother at first too, but Kikuoka-san told me to give him a chance to talk to you. He seemed sincere from what he could tell, so I decided to give him a chance. If he failed, then I warned him to stay away from you until you changed your mind about going back home." Shino explaned.

"Kikuoka, huh? I really don't know whether I should slap him or thank him the next time I see him… Maybe both…" Asuna said dryly.

"Kirito, Liz, and Silica-chan was contacted by Kikuoka-san as well, so they already know that your brother tried to find you. Speaking of which, I'm sure they'll want to know what's going on. I'm going to contact them and tell them what happened. Do you want to speak to them?" Shino asked.

Although she knew that her friends and lover were worried sick, she still couldn't bring herself to face them just yet.

"No… later, but not today. And… I'm still not sure about going back home at all… but… maybe, just maybe, this trip might do us some good, I hope." Asuna said uncertainly.

"Well, only one way to find out, I guess. Go with your brother tomorrow; see how it turns out." Shino advised. Asuna gave a sigh before nodding her head slowly affirmative.

"Good. I'll get dinner ready. You must be hungry." Shino said.

"I know I should be, but not too much… but I'll eat anyway… I guess I'll need my strength for tomorrow." Asuna mumbled.

"Good." Shino said. But she was still curious about one thing.

"By the way, Asuna, this place that you and your brother discussed, where were you talking about? I know that it may be a family place, but I'm curious." Shino asked. Asuna gave a very faint and almost unnoticeable smile, recalling the memories of the place in mind.

"It's my mother's birthplace… and my late maternal grandparents' home… in Miyagi." Asuna answered.

* * *

 **A/N: There we have it. Things are starting to look up for Asuna. Next chapter, the story will focus more on Asuna's parents' side of things. Look forward to them. Thank you for your patience and love! Please don't forget to like, review, or PM.**

 **Next chapter: A Castle of Sand.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	15. A Castle of Sand

**A/N: Hello guys, I'm back with the 15th chapter. I got this chapter done sooner than I thought. This chapter and the next few future ones will focus more on Asuna's parents' perspective and also trigger another major event that will make Kyouko see her mistakes.**

 **Also, this story's views have finally gone beyond 20,000 views! I love you guys all! Thank you so much for your support and will continue to enjoy what I have in stored for you all!**

 **And lastly, I hope that the readers that live in America had a good Thanksgiving weekend (as well as Black Friday). Now, happy reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't know SAO, its characters, or it's OST's. They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-san respectively!**

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Chapter 15 – A Castle of Sand

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 **April 1st, 2026, 5:00 PM - Setagaya, Yuuki manor.**

It was very quiet inside the mansion; a little too quiet. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been so unusual, seeing as they came late from work quite often, and even if they were home, the chances were that they were working on something for their work. But the uncomfortable silence wasn't due to that this time. Right now, among the Yuuki's, only one person was inside it, and she was in no condition to do any kind of work.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "A Sad Quirrell")**

Yuuki Kyouko sat in front of the desk of her room, but her computer wasn't on, nor did her desk have any paperwork on them. The only things on her desk right now were a nearly empty bottle of sherry and wine glass. She had gotten the most alchoholic variant of the brand of sherry she usually drank, and before she knew it, she'd downed the whole bottle almost entirely. She had never been one to drink heavily, but right now, she felt like she would lose her sanity if she didn't.

All of her hard work, her life's work, not just for herself, but for her children, her family, had crumbled down into virtually nothing.

Asuna and Kouichirou leaving were bad enough, but now, even her husband had practically turned his back on her. She began to lose herself into her own thoughts for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. She started to recall the argument that happened earlier in the day, which was probably the breaking point for her resolve. And at the same time, she picked up her bottle once again to fill her glass with sherry.

* * *

 **Flashback: Earlier that day, 12:00 PM.**

After her son's furious departure, Kyouko had locked herself away in her work room, refusing to come out, even though she was expected at her workplace. Right now, that hardly seemed to matter.

She was seriously hoping that her husband would bring Asuna back home. Then they would be able to focus on convincing Kouichirou to come home; once she figures out how to face her daughter when she gets here. Speaking of that, she really wasn't looking forward to telling her husband about Kouichirou's departure. Even her gentle natured husband wouldn't take too kindly at adding another problem to the list.

Then, she could hear footsteps approaching her room, but it was a heavy one; that of a man's. That could only mean one thing: her husband came back. Before she could gather any further thoughts, the door to her room burst open. There, her husband stood, looking very upset. What was more, what was worse, was that he was the only one standing there; he was alone.

"You and I need to talk." Her husband said, in a low and clearly dangerous voice, closing the door behind him.

"Wh… where's Asuna?" She asked, afraid that she already knew the answer.

"She didn't come with me. She refused to come back…" Shouzou answered, confirming her worst fear.

"Why…? Why is she being so bull-headed all of a sudden?" Kyouko asked in disbelief.

"Oh, you of all people are saying that? And besides, don't you have anything else to say? About Kouichirou, I mean?" He asked. Kyouko swallowed, already not liking where this was going.

"When I came back here, I at least expected for all three of us to discuss together to bring her back, but what do I find when I get back? I find nothing but a letter in our son's room, saying that he's had enough and that he's leaving home to look for Asuna on his own, without US getting in the way!" Shouzou said, his voice rising slightly. It was only then that Kyouko noticed that her husband had the said letter in his hand.

"But enough about that… Kouichirou can handle himself. He's a smart boy. But our most pressing matter right now is Asuna. Before that, though, answer me: yesterday when you were arguing with her, did you talk down on her friends; the SAO survivors? Call them killers, specifically?" Her husband asked in detail.

"Well, that was…" Kyouko tried to come up with an explanation, but was cut off.

"I don't want to hear explanations; just answer me, yes or no." He said.

"Y… yes…" Kyouko answered quietly. Her husband gave an exasperated sigh at this.

"Seriously? I thought you would know that Asuna is sensitive when it comes to the SAO survivors, because she is one too. Why would you say such a thing in the first place? Only a select few of the SAO survivors were killers, not the whole group; or could it be that you were suggesting, that our daughter was among those criminals?" Shouzou implied, seriously wanting to hear what she had to say about it. Kyouko's eyes widened at this.

"How… how could you say such a thing?! I would never do that...! How could I?" Kyouko defended herself.

"Well, as far as Asuna's concerned, I'm quite sure that's not the case. She already had enough grief as it was; why did you have to make things worse by saying something like that?!" Shouzou asked sharply. Shouzou had always tried to avoid lasting arguments with his wife, but this was something that even he just couldn't let slip by.

"I didn't mean to! If only Asuna hadn't found out about the meetings we arranged this soon, this whole thing might not have happened…! If… if I wasn't so careless…" Kyouko trailed off, who for once admitted that she made a mistake. But that wasn't the problem about what she said; the problem was that she seemed to think that things would've worked out well if the meetings had gone according to plan.

"And what makes you think that Asuna, and Kouichirou, for that matter, would have acted any differently if they found out about this then?" Shouzou asked.

"What…?" Kyouko questioned.

"I mean, after what Asuna went through because of Sugou, do you really think that she would've understood your reasons for doing this? I for one don't think so. Do you want to know what Asuna told me when I went to her school today? She wished that she never came back from that death game if this was what we had instore for her." Shouzou delivered the news. This shocked Kyouko so much that whatever she tried to say was all but forgotten.

"What… she said what…?" She stammered.

"Do I have to say it again? You heard me! She wished that she had DIED in SAO!" Shouzou bellowed uncharacteristically.

"Why… why would she want that? When she managed to come back from it alive…?!" Kyouko asked, her voice starting to shake.

"It's most likely because Asuna… She knew…" Her husband stated.

"What…?" She asked, needing clarification.

"She knew everything, right from the start; about your attitude towards her during her time in SAO!" Shouzou finally declared, and Kyouko could've sworn that her heart stopped.

"What… you mean… she…" Kyouko stammered, praying that it wasn't so.

"She knew that you'd stopped visiting her during the death game, and treated her as if she'd already died! And what's more, she's somehow reached the conclusion that you never truly cared for her; what do you have to say to that?!" Shouzou asked sharply, recalling Asuna's tearful revelation. Kyouko on the other hand, hearing her husband say the same thing that her son had told her earlier that day, began to lose control.

"I NEVER stopped caring for her! And she doesn't know everything! You know better than anyone that the reason I couldn't visit her was because of an entirely different reason! So why didn't you explain that to her when you were at her school today?!" Kyouko asked, her voice now audiably shaking in both sadness and anger.

"You really think that I didn't try?! I did, but she wouldn't listen to me! She said that she couldn't believe anything that we say to her anymore! Just how miserable was she to wish that she never came back from that death game?! And just how little trust did she have in us to say that Sugou's words were more believable than ours?!" Shouzou asked, raising his voice. Kyouko's eyes furrowed. Did he say Sugou Nobuyuki's words?

"That man's words…? What does she mean by that?" Kyouko asked. Though, she could already tell that she was NOT going to like what she was was about to hear.

"Sugou… he was the one that told Asuna about your behavior. When he held her captive after the end of SAO, he had told her about that to make her give up any hope of escaping!" Shouzou said, wishing that he could turn back time to set things right. Kyouko froze where she was, horrified. She was seriously hoping that her ears were deceiving her; that they were starting to go bad with age.

"No… curse that monster!" Kyouko said, feeling intense hatred once again for the man who she once trusted to give Asuna a better life.

"And after Kirigaya-kun rescued her from him, imagine what she thought when she found out from the nurses that you almost never showed up on her ward during her captivity…" Shouzou said. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was implying.

"Is she… is she serious…? Does she really think that I'd given up on her…?" Kyouko asked weakly.

"Well, with the way I saw her crying today, I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes." Shouzou sighed. Kyouko put both of her hands on her forehead, as a fierce headache started surface.

"Look, I know that you did everything you did with our family's best interest at heart. But you can't deny now that all we did have done more harm than good. So, we need to stop… stop all of this and salvage what little trust Asuna and Kouichirou has in us." Shouzou suggested. But Kyouko wasn't too keen on the idea.

"No…! There's… there's got to be another way to bring them home. We've been doing all of this for those two since they were children to give them a better future. We can't stop now!" Kyouko reasoned, but her husband seemed to disagree strongly.

"Enough! Don't you get it? That's exactly the reason why Asuna left! You may have been acting out of concern for her, but your stubbornness and the fact that you don't care what Asuna has to say about it makes Asuna think otherwise! She thinks that you see her as nothing but a tool for your career record!" Shouzou reiterated.

"Actually, since we're at that topic, let me ask you a question: If you had to choose between your career and reputation and our daughter's happiness, which one would you chose?" He asked, even though he knew the answer to the question already.

"What do you mean, of course I'd choose our daughter's happiness; I'm her mother after all!" Kyouko answered with no hesitation.

"I know you would. But then let me ask another question: If I asked that very same question to Asuna, what do you think her answer would be?" Shouzou asked again.

"What… what exactly are you trying to say?" Kyouko asked. Although, she had an idea of what it was about.

"What I'm trying to say is that with the idea that you 'gave up' on her in her head right now, Asuna's answer would most certainly have been that you would choose your career over her!" Shouzou said angrily. Again, this information shocked her.

"You can't be serious…" Kyouko moaned.

"Oh, I'm dead serious, which is all the more reason for us to stop! What's the point in doing all of it if our own daughter hates us for it? It's not worth it!" Shouzou yelled, emphasizing the last sentence. But being as stubborn as she usually was, Kyouko still seemed unconvinced.

"Well, was it not too long ago that you agreed with me that the arrangement was a good idea?" Kyouko countered. Her husband HAD agreed to go through with the whole suitor business after all.

"A decision which I regret very much right now! And besides, I should add that I didn't fully agree with the idea from the start. I only agreed to give the boys in question a chance for her. Though, I should've known that Asuna wouldn't have even given them a second look. She had Kirkgaya-kun after all… If I knew that all of this was coming, I never would've agreed to have you arrange these meetings!" Shouzou sighed regretfully.

"Look, I know what I'm doing! Asuna and Kouichirou may not like it at the moment, but they'll come to accept it in time! I'm just doing what I believe is the best for them!" Kyouko said stubbornly. Shouzou at this point had lost his patience almost entirely.

"Do you actually believe what you're saying right now? That's basically what you said when you arranged Sugou to marry Asuna during her time in SAO! Of course, I know I have no right to say anything in the matter, since I agreed at the time too. But the point is, Asuna had lost faith in us from that time on and secretly resented us starting then. We both thought at the time that it was the best for her. But it turned out that we were making the biggest mistake of our lives! Imagine what we would've sentenced our own daughter to if it hadn't been for Kirigaya-kun! And what's worse, we repeated that mistake again and yesterday and today's events are a clear evidence of that! I refuse to make the same mistake a third time!" Shouzou declared.

"But… even so…" Kyouko tried to counter, but her defenses were weakening and they both knew it. Shouzou again cut her off.

"All it took for Asuna to lose faith in us was just one event, one decision: Sugou... Just how fragile was Asuna's trust in us, when all it took was a single push to have everything we worked for come crumbling down? When the trust between our family was no sturdier than a sand castle?!" Shouzou asked, distraught. Kyouko at this point was really out of things to say.

"Listen to me. Asuna gave us plenty of chances to redeem ourselves from the moment she came back to us. She tried to stomach the fact that we had arranged an engagement that she hated; she tried to forgive us of that… and yet… what did we do for her in return? We tried to drag her back into a hell that she thought she had escaped from. So let's stop… I can't stand seeing our daughter suffer like this…" Shouzou finished. But it seemed right now that Kyouko was just as unrelenting as Shouzou currently was.

"No no… there has to be a way…" Kyouko said. It was obvious that she was reaching her limit and they both knew it. Seeing her stubbornness reach another level, Shouzou finally lost his temper.

"If you keep being this way, neither Kouichirou nor Asuna will come back of their own accord! Wasn't it always you that was telling everyone to be realistic? Well, take your own advice! I'm telling you, it's not going to work, and it is NOT WORTH IT!" He shouted.

This lead to a fully blown heated argument that continued for what seemed like hours and it could only be described as the worst domestic dispute the couple could remember since their marriage. And honestly, they had both thought that they had seen the worst during the exposure of Sugou's crimes and the subsequent turmoil both the family and Recto had to face.

After some time, realizing that their arguments were going nowhere, Shouzou turned to leave his wife's work room, brilliantly red in the face.

"Where are you going; this discussion is not yet over!" Kyouko asked, equally red from the heated argument.

"Yes, it is! I think it's clear at this point that our views on what's for the best for our family differ greatly. I'm leaving to get some air and gather my thoughts. I suggest you do the same! And while you're at it, decide whether doing something that Asuna hates us for is really worth it!" Shouzou declared and left, heading to the main entrance of the manor.

"Anata… Anata…! (Dear… Dear…!)" Kyouko called out for her husband to come back, but he ignored her calls and left, slamming the door shut on his way out.

 **Flashback End**

* * *

Honestly, she had never expected things to sprial so out of control like it did. Maybe she had been naïve when she thought that nothing worse could happen after the SAO and ALO incidents. The problem coming from the outside world was one thing, as she was used to handling those kinds of problems, but somehow, like her husband had said, all it took was one event to have the bond and trust between their family to come crumbling down. And it was clear that the problem was not as simple as she had made it out to be. She was no fool. If what her husband had said about Asuna's discussion was true, then even she couldn't deny that she was partly to blame.

She wanted to turn back time… go back to the past and SHOW her that she had cared, not just convey it through seemingly cold and empty words; to tell her that it was all a big misunderstanding.

She may be a serious and prideful woman by nature, and some may describe her as cold, heartless even. But before all that, before she was a high standard professor, she was a mother with a heart.

She had never expected their relationship to be this fragile. She kept thinking and thinking, what could be done to gain back her family's trust? Under normal circumstances, she would've been able to find a solution relatively quickly by thinking through the cause and the effect. But right now, there were so many questions and confusion in her head that she couldn't even think straight, mainly because of the apparent fact that she now knew that Asuna had gravely misunderstood her intentions and actions for her throughout her whole life. There were so many things to tell her; to explain, but Asuna had left by her own accord, feeling so much misplaced resentment and anger towards her no doubt.

She picked up the sherry bottle again to pour into her glass, but she soon realized that she had emptied the entire bottle of it. Sighing, she put the bottle down; or maybe toss it was a better word for it, because the bottle soon lost its balance and fell to its side with a clunk.

Kyouko slowly got up from her chair. She then exited the room and headed to Asuna's room, which she hadn't been to since Asuna left.

When she got to her daughter's room, she opened the door and went inside to see it in a bit of a mess. Some of the items on her desk were in scrambles. Kyouko opened her daughter's wardrobe to see a good amount of clothings missing, and what was worse, on Asuna's bed lay a picture frame of their whole family together, which was broken with some of the glass still visible on the edges of the frame. The rest of the broken glass had been, of course, cleaned up. She had seen the small but visible dent on the wall beside the wardrobe, meaning that Asuna had thrown the frame to it, breaking it in the process.

Kyouko picked up the picture frame from the bed. She started by taking the picture out of the broken frame. Once she did, she took a closer look at the picture in her hand. She had seen the same picture in the family's album she looked at several days ago, but for obvious reasons, taking a look at the picture now was far more heartbreaking compared to that time. It only served to remind her that the happy moment in the picture was now nothing but a distant memory, unable to come back, especially now.

It only made her wonder even more: where did it start to go all wrong? They had been a happy and enviable family back then, but now, their family bonds were clearly on the brink of breaking completely.

Where did it start to go all wrong? Did it start from that cursed death game? Or did it start from the day they met Sugou Nobuyuki? Or was it the decision to give Asuna's hand in marriage to that monster of a man, without her knowledge or consent? Or was it something else entirely, or did all of those events lead to the current catastrophe? She could no longer say with confidence that she knew the answer to that question anymore. The questions continued to swirl around in her mind, tormenting her constantly.

Unable to take it anymore, Kyouko stood up, trying to leave her daughter's room. But she didn't have a chance to; it came out of nowhere.

As soon as she got to her feet, a seering pain suddenly assaulted the back of her neck, and at the same time she felt as if the entire room was spinning around her. Her hand instinctively shot to the back of her neck, to where the pain was coming from. It just happened so suddenly that she couldn't even scream from the agony. The combined pain and dizziness made Kyouko stumble on her feet for a few seconds before collapsing onto the floor with a loud thud. The picture in her hand fell to the floor as a result and landed where she could still see it, but out of reach of where she collapsed.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "At Our Parting (VC only)")**

Even as the pain and the giddiness worsened, Kyouko weakly attempted to move to where the picture was. After crawling painfully to where the remnant of a now distant happy memory laid at, the mother grasped and held onto the picture as if her life depended on it.

"Asuna… Asuna…" She moaned weakly through the excruciating pain. "Please… don't leave me… not again… not again…" She lamented before feeling her consciousness slip away from her. She lay on the floor, unmoving.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, that ends this chapter. It may have been a bit abrupt, but I thought that it was appropriate. This chapter's purpose was to clearly show that Kyouko isn't heartless and that she really wanted what was the best for Asuna. Was I successful? Let me know.**

 **Now you know why this chapter is titled Castle of Sand; it represents the currently fragile bond between Asuna's family.**

 **Next chapter will continue from where it left off this chapter. But brace yourselves; the next few chapters will be another emotional ride, or at least I hope you find them to be emotional.**

 **As always, thank you for reading and don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or review.**

 **Next Chapter: A Mother's Love – Part 1: Regrets.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	16. A Mother's Love - Part 1: Regrets

**A/N: Hey guys, KiritoIRL is back with another chapter!**

 **First of all, I'd like to apologize for the delay of this chapter. I had a midterm to finish up and I finally found some time to finish this chapter this week! But to compensate for the delay, this chapter is a very long one. It has about 16000 words in it, more than double the length of my previously longest chapter. So, forgive me for that, k?**

 **Also, a big shout of for TheSib! When I was so busy with schoolwork, he offered to help me out writing this chapter and quite a lot of the flashbacks that're in this chapter were written by TheSib! I really appreciate it, man. This chapter was able to be finished much faster thanks to you.**

 **If you haven't already, check out the SAO stories written by TheSib; many of them are long and are quite fun to read.**

 **And lastly, for the OSTs in this chapter that are part of the Fairy Dance Arc, I recommend listening them in the ORIGINAL pitch, not the pitched down versions that you can find on youtube. The fact that I couldn't find the original pitched versions of the Fairy Dance OSTs has always annoyed me. I believe that you can find the original pitched OSTs in the SAO: Music Collection.**

 **Now, without anymore delays, let's get on with the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters, or the OSTs. They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-sensei, respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 16 – A Mother's Love – Part 1: Regrets

* * *

Sada was doing her work down in the kitchen, trying to be as discreet as possible. With the argument that was clearly audiable coming from the above floor, she was sure that it wasn't something that she wanted to get involved at all. With the young miss and young master gone, she had somewhat expected this, but it was no less uncomfortable being in the house because of that.

A few hours after her employer had left the house, the mistress came down to the kitchen once to grab a wine glass and a bottle of sherry. Even by just looking at her face, she could tell: she did NOT want to cross with her at that moment. Even as the afternoon passed, her mistress had made no further signs to come out of her room. It was only sometime after 5 o'clock that she finally came out of her room. But she didn't come downstairs, but instead it sounded like she was heading to another room. Then not very long after, she heard a loud thud coming from the above floor. It sounded like it was coming from the young miss's room. She deduced that her mistress had gone into it, but what could have caused that noise? Deciding to risk of being scolded at, Sada headed to the room where the noise came from and knocked on the door.

"Mistress? Is everything alright in there…?" Sada asked. When no response came, she knocked again, but again no response was heard.

"Mistress… I'm coming in…" Sada said and opened the door, only to be greeted by a disastrous scene. Her mistress was on the floor of the young miss's room, unconscious. Sada gasped, horrified.

"Mistress! Mistress! Wake up! Please get a hold of yourself! Mistress!" Sada called out to her, shaking Kyouko and pleading her to wake up, but she remained unconscious. Her whole body felt like it was on fire and she was sweating a bit. Her breathing sounded labored as well.

Sada got her phone from her pocket and proceeded to dial '119'.

( **A/N: In Japan and Korea, to call either the Firefighters or an ambulance, the dial for it is 119. In Japan only though, the dial for the police is 110.** )

"Hello? My employer is unconscious; she has an intense fever and isn't waking up at all! Please send an ambulance here immediately! We're at the Yuuki residence in Setagaya!" Sada spoke urgently to the receiver.

* * *

 **Nearby park of the Setagaya Neighborhood.**

Shouzou was currently sitting on the bench in a park that was nearby the neighborhood of their house. Since leaving his house, he had wandered around aimlessly; all the while thinking what could be done to restore their family, but nothing good came into mind. He eventually came back to the Setagaya neighborhood and rested there.

He didn't know how much time had passed. But after some time, his phone gave a ring, indicating that he had received a message. Opening it, he saw that it was from his son. He wasted no time in reading its contents.

* * *

 _Dad, it's Kouichirou._

 _I have some good news: I found where Asuna's staying at and I got the chance to talk to her. And even better, I was able to convince her partially. Long story short, Asuna agreed to go on a trip away from home, starting tomorrow morning. I think it'll be easier to convince her to come back home if we let her cool her head away from home, although, I had to tell Asuna that you or mother didn't have a hand in this trip._

 _So please, don't contact me during the trip. The same goes for mother. If Asuna sees that you did, it's likely that she won't trust me. It was hard enough convincing her to take this trip with me as it was. I don't know when, but when I convince Asuna completely, I'll come back with her._

 _I'll keep you updated when I can._

 _Kouichirou._

* * *

He gave a sign in relief after he finished reading the message.

This was the best news that he had received during the whole day. He did say in his letter that he was going to look for Asuna on his own, and he was able to find her in record time and even better, he had managed to get a chance to convince her.

' _Good job, son._ ' Shouzou mentally complimented Kouichirou, proud.

Now he had to relay this message to his wife. The argument he had with her may have been coming, but still, all of her actions were done with good intentions, even though some of them were dubious from an outsider's view. There were reasons behind her obsessions of seeing Asuna succeed in life; to see her live a happy and regretless life, as any parent should desire for their child. And with everything that had happened throughout Asuna's life, he frankly couldn't entirely blame his wife for some of her choices.

In any case, with this releiving news in hand, he might as well tell her the news in person. He got up from the bench and started heading back to his house.

As he started walking back, he could hear sirens from a distance gradually becoming louder. He didn't think too much of it and just focused on getting back and telling Kyouko about what their son did.

He turned around the corner to the alley where his house was at, only to see a concerning sight. Blaring lights of an ambulance siren came into view. And the ambulance was parked right in front of his house, with some of the neighbors gathered around in front of their house. He stopped dead on track at this, quickly registering what that meant.

"Kyouko…!" Shouzou muttered, breaking off into a sprint towards his house. Did something happen to her?

As he approached the yard, his answer was given as paramedics came from out their yard and towards the ambulance, carrying his wife on the stretcher, followed by Sada, making his heart drop to his stomach.

"Kyouko! What happened to her?!" He asked them, pushing some of the bystanders out of the way, distressed.

"I found her collapsed in the young miss's room." Sada informed him. As she explained the situation, the paramedics had finished preparing to transport Kyouko to the hospital. One of them approached them.

"Excuse me. We're ready to take her to the hospital. You're the patient's husband, am I right?" He asked. Shouzou nodded.

"Then come with us, please." He said. Shouzou and Sada followed suit and got on the ambulance, which soon rang out its sirens and rushed to the hospital.

* * *

 **Hospital, outside the Emergency Section.**

Shouzou and Sada sat on the bench just outside the door that separated them from the surgery room. They sat there, both in silence. Although, Sada did try to encourage her employer, which he only responded by nodding.

About 30 minutes after they last saw the doctors go inside the emergency section with his wife (although it honestly felt much longer than that), the door finally opened to reveal the doctors coming outside. The two immediately got up and approached them.

"How is she, doctor?" Shouzou asked the head doctor.

"She'll be alright. The operation was successful and your wife should be waking up in a few hours." The doctor assured him to his relief.

"Thank you." Shouzou said gratefully to him.

"The cause of her condition seemed to be extreme stress. And the amount of alcohol she consumed probably contributed to this as well. But I expect that she'll make a full recovery in a few days. But we'll keep her in the hospital for observation for about a week. If there are no further problems, she'll be released then. And in the process, please make sure that she doesn't face any kind of stress; it could serve to delay her recovery." The doctor advised.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you again." Shouzou repeated.

"Of course. Come with use now, we'll take you to your wife's ward." The doctor said. They nodded and followed suit.

They soon reached the ward with "Yuuki Kyouko-sama" labeled on the door. The doctors left after showing them inside. They entered to see Kyouko lying on the bed in a hospital gown, clearly still asleep. The nurses inside were still finishing on setting up the room for his wife. They left them alone after finishing their tasks.

Shouzou approached his wife's bed, and took her hand into his.

"Don't worry too much, Shouzou-sama. The doctor did say that she will wake up soon." Sada reassured him.

"I know… but the question is, when she does, will she change her mind about what's best for our family… can I convince her…? After everything that's happened…?" Shouzou commented.

"Let's hope so… Oh, and Shouzou-sama, here." Sada handed him a picture; a picture of their family together of approximately 15 years ago.

"Why do you have this?" He asked, slightly surprised.

"Mistress was holding onto that picture when I found her collapsed in the young miss's room." Sada said sadly.

"I see… Thank you." Shouzou said, taking the picture from her hands.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, with neither of them saying anything. After about half an hour later, Sada left, saying that she needed to go back home and prepare dinner for her family, but promised to come back for work the next day. So she bid farewell and left.

Shouzou stayed a while longer with his wife, hoping that she would wake up soon. But as it started to get late, he eventually decided to call it a day and come back the next day. He decided to leave the picture on the small stool beside her, hoping that she would see it when she woke up. With one last look at his wife, he left her ward to go back home.

* * *

 **A few hours later.**

She couldn't recall much for the last few hours. During that time, she was constantly slipping in and out of consciousness after her sudden collapse. She could vaguely remember being transported out of her house and to the hospital, and her husband pleading with her to wake up during the trip.

Then, realizing that she was awake, she slowly opened her eyes. Taking a few seconds to observe her surroundings, she realized that she was in a hospital ward. There was no one present in the room, but that hardly mattered.

She didn't bother getting up from her bed. She continued to lie down, remembering how she ended up in the hospital; the argument with her son and husband… but particularly the one with her husband. She had never given it much thought, but after today's events, she started to ask herself a certain question; a question that was brought up during the arguments.

' _I… I abandoned Asuna…?_ ' She thought, unable to believe it. No… she never did, or at least, never meant to. She had loved her so much eversince she had become a part of their family. So, what went so wrong to give Asuna that horrible idea?

Hopeless thoughts circled around in her head again, asking so many questions of how to restore her family's trust. So many things had happened between them all… some of them not even Asuna or Kouichirou for that matter knew had even happened.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but when she did, a few tears escaped from her eyes as she drifted off to sleep again.

* * *

 **September 30th, 2007.**

She could hear wailing from what it felt like from a distance. She was gasping desperately for air. The past few hours had been painful to say the least. And although it was a pain that she had once experienced, it was still difficult to handle. But now, it had been all worth it.

"Yuuki-sama, congradulations! You have a beautiful little princess!" One of the nurses present told her and her husband who was present. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. After 9 months of waiting, she was finally here with her.

After cleaning her up and wrapping her up in a blanket, the nurse brought her crying newborn over to her mother. She gently took the little bundle into her arms and rocked her to calm her down. Eventually, the baby's wailing gradually declined to that of soft whimpers. She then slowly opened her eyes for the first time. Her eyes were a beautiful caramel color; almost the same color as her hair. Seeing her mother's face for the very first time, the baby just looked at her curiously. She then clumsily tried to move her arms. Shouzou and Kyouko both smiled and offered her their fingers to clutch onto.

"Well, now, we need to properly name her. You still haven't changed your mind about her name, have you?" Her husband asked.

"No… I've had my heart set on her name a long time ago." Kyouko stated.

"Well then, call her. Give her her name." Shouzou encouraged, beaming. She smiled back at this. She then looked at the little girl in her arms.

"Asuna… Yuuki Asuna… our daughter… welcome to our family…" Kyouko said softly to the child in her arms. As if responding, little Asuna gave a small coo. This only made their smile widen.

After feeding her for the first time, they allowed their family members waiting outside to come inside to meet the newest addition to the family. Young Kouichirou and his grandparents were the first to come inside and see baby Asuna. The young boy was delighted to finally see his little sister for the first time. And her parents, as well as her husband's parents gave their congradulations for her daughter's birth. For her, this day could only be described as one of the happiest days of her life. And she sincerely hoped that it would last forever, both for her and her family.

* * *

 **October 2nd, 2007.**

It was two days after the birth of her daughter, and Kyouko was dying to see her again. The day before, she had practically spent the whole day in the nursery where all the new borns were kept at, never taking her eyes off her daughter. And she was planning to do the same for today again. She would be released tomorrow with Asuna, but that didn't stop her from wanting to be with her as much as possible. So, she again headed to the nursery to see her daughter again.

When she was just outside the room where the infants were kept, she saw through the window that there were several nurses and doctors gathered around one particular incubator with serious looks. Realizing that the incubator was Asuna's, she narrowed her eyes and went into the room to find out what was going on.

But as soon as she entered the room, she heard the doctor shout words that made her heart stop.

"Get this child to the emergency room immediately; NOW!" She heard him ordering the nurses urgently.

Now Kyouko's eyes widened as she now experienced an emotion that she had never felt so strongly before: Terror; not for herself, but for another.

The nurses got to work immediately following the doctor's order, and as they got to their task, one of them, who had helped her in Asuna's delivery realized that she was there, and had heard what the doctor had ordered. She approached Kyouko, who at this point was clearly terrified for her baby daughter.

"What's going on?! Is there something wrong with my baby?!" She asked the nurse, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Yuuki-sama, we'll do everything we can to save her. So please, calm down…" The nurses tried to calm the terrified mother down, but that had only made it worse. The way she said it, it practically confirmed her fears that Asuna was in some kind of mortal danger. The mere thought scared her so much.

"Please, please save her…! This is the wish of a lifetime, please save her!" Kyouko pleaded, practically screaming.

"We'll do all we can, so please, calm down." The nurse repeated gently. As she said it, the hospital staffs began to transfer her daughter out of the room. She had her eyes closed and was unmoving. Under other circumstances, she would've thought that her daughter was sleeping. But she knew that wasn't the case at all. She could only continue to cry in terror. Even as she was brought outside the room, her crying didn't stop. Then, two more people arrived at the scene. They rushed over to her, seeing her in such distress.

"Kyouko?! Kyouko, what's going on?! Did something happen?!"

"Mom, what's wrong?!" Shouzou and Kouichirou asked, very distressed at seeing the usually calm but recently happy woman in such state of terror.

"Asuna… Asuna, she…" Kyouko cried incoherently. She couldn't believe what was happening. Her baby had been just fine a few days ago… She was only two days old, and her life was in danger. It was too sudden… too much… too cruel.

"The doctors are doing all they can to save your child, Yuuki-sama. All we can do is wait and hope for the best." The nurse who was with Kyouko informed them.

"Asuna…! Asuna…!" Kyouko wept, her terror still out of control. Her husband and son attempted to calm her down as well, even though they were now equally terrified for their newest family member. They had to stay together, especially at a time like this.

* * *

None of them knew how much time had passed. But during those times, Kyouko had stopped crying, but she was as terrified as ever. It seemed to be the same for her husband. He too was silent, but fear evident on his expression. Right now, they were waiting in front of the operation room that Asuna was currently in.

Then, their son broke the fear-filled silence.

"Mom… Dad… what's going to happen to her? What's going to happen to my sister?" Their young son asked, who looked like he was about to start crying.

"The… the doctors are doing all they can to help her… She'll be okay… she has to be…" The boy's father tried to convince his son, but he himself was also uncertain.

All they could do was wait for the doctors to come out, to either deliver the most relieaving or the most heartbreaking news the family had heard yet.

* * *

Finally, the doctor who went in with Asuna came out. Seeing this, the three Yuuki's approached him. In response, he gave the good news.

"Don't worry. Your daughter should be fine now." He said.

"The cause of this seems to be SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). It was very lucky that one of the nurses discovered it just in time, as usually there are no signs until it's too late. We'll keep her in the hospital for a week for observation just in case something else happens to her, but as of now, I don't forsee another incident like this coming." The doctor finished.

"Thank you… Thank you so much…" Kyouko hiccupped, her legs that had been shaking the entire time finally gave away from relief. Shouzou and Kouichirou soon thanked the doctor as well.

"We'll do some further check ups on your daughter before you can see her again. The nurses will notify you when you can see her." The doctor informed. The family thanked him again as he left.

* * *

After a few hours, the family was allowed to see baby Asuna again. As soon as the words left the nurse's mouth, she tried to get up to go see her child, but the nurse offered to bring her child to her instead, which they accepted.

A few minutes later, the nurse had brought the small bundle in with her and gave her to her mother. Kyouko took her into her arms gently, as if she was made out of glass. The baby, who was asleep, seemed to wake up as soon as she was passed onto her mother.

When she was fully awake, baby Asuna just looked up at her mother and cooed, trying to reach up to her, oblivious to the mortal peril that she was in just moments ago. Seeing this, Kyouko felt tears welling up again in her eyes. She had almost lost her… her daughter whom she loved so much, who had been the center of her thoughts for the past months.

"Oh, Asuna… Asuna…!" Kyouko moaned as her tears landed on Asuna's cheeks. As if she could read her mother's emotion, baby Asuna started wailing when she saw her mother's face scrunched up in sadness.

As her husband and son comforted them both, she swore to herself: She would see to it that her daughter never gets in harm's way. Never.

* * *

 **Spring, 2012. Tokyo shopping district.**

It was a sunny day during the weekend in the city of Tokyo. Kyouko and young Asuna were out shopping to buy some new clothes for the both of them.

Asuna had enrolled into kindergarten not too long ago. And her mother had gotten her a teddy bear as a reward for getting into the kindergarten. Well, she had gone to a toy store to get the specific teddy bear that she wanted, but Asuna had asked her mother to pick one out for her, even though she had said that she could choose whichever one she wanted. So, by her request, Kyouko had selected on that she thought would suit her daughter the most. And Asuna wasn't disappointed in the slightest. And eversince then, whenever they got out, Asuna would bring her bear friend along with her, smiling happily.

And of course, today was no exception. Asuna was practically skipping on her feet right now.

"Are you really that happy about your teddy bear, Asuna?" She asked. In response, Asuna nodded.

"Mm! Because mama got her for me!" She responded happily.

"Oh, you silly girl…" Kyouko said; she wasn't scolding her at all, of course. She gave a small smile back. They continued to walk down the streets, with Asuna skipping every step she took.

After they had finished buying everything they needed, they decided to head home. They were heading to the bus stop that was on the other side of the road they were currently walking on. And when it came to view, she saw that the bus that they needed to get on was approaching the bus station, and the pedestrian traffic light that lead right to that stop was flashing, meaning that they had to run or they would miss the bus.

"Asuna, we have to run; that's the bus we need to get on." Kyouko informed her daughter and they broke off into a run together.

When they got to the crosswalk, the green light was already flashing, indicating that the light would soon turn red. So they both tried to cross it before the light turned red.

However, when she was in the halfpoint of the crosswalk, she barely managed to hear a yelp coming from behind her. It took her a few seconds to realize what the cause of the noise could be, but when she did, she looked back to see Asuna on the ground with her teddy bear lying beside her. She must have tripped when she was running.

"Uuu…" Asuna moaned, some tears forming on her eyes.

At this point the light had already turned red. And Asuna had tripped not too far away from where they had crossed. Slightly annoyed that they would have to wait for another bus, she started to walk to where Asuna was to get her up on her feet and clear the road for the waiting vehicles.

But then, she saw it.

Apparently, some drivers don't pay attention to the road too much, as one of the vehicles hit the pedal as soon as it saw the green light on the road. And it was headed straight at her daughter at an alarming speed.

"ASUNA!" Kyouko screamed.

"Eh?" Asuna looked at her, confused, obviously unaware of what kind of danger was coming towards her.

Only one objective was in Kyouko's mind at this point: Protect Asuna at any cost.

Time seemed to slow down as she rushed towards her daughter to get her out of harm's way as quickly as possible, dropping her shopping bags. All she was aware of was that she was acting on pure reflexes that she never knew she possessed. In what was like a blink of an eye, she reached where Asuna was and quickly grabbed her daughter and at the same time, jumped the both of them out of the way. Next thing she knew was that she was lying on the ground, and a loud screeching and a crash coming from closeby.

The pedestrians who witnessed the whole thing were rushing to where she and her daughter were, asking them if they were alright. Kyouko was fine, other than being a bit shaken from the sudden ordeal and so was Asuna.

Asuna only seemed to realize then of what had just happened.

"Asuna! Are you alright; are you hurt?!" Kyouko asked her frantically.

"Y… yeah…" Asuna responded, looking a bit spaced out.

"Thank goodness…!" Kyouko said.

Then, Asuna started looking around for something.

"Mama? Where's my teddy?" She asked.

Remembering that her daughter's teddy bear was lying beside her on the road, she looked at the crossroad to find the teddy bear; or at least, what was left of it.

Where the teddy bear previously was, there laid torn leg of the toy. And along the path of the car that almost ran over her daughter along with her toy, she saw other bits and pieces of the teddy bear lying on the road.

As she saw the damage that was done to her daughter's bear friend, Asuna had apparently followed her mother's line of sight, for she heard her suck in a pained breath at the sight.

"U… uuuaaa…! My teddy…!" Asuna wailed, devastated at the fact that her favorite bear friend was gone. Kyouko tried to comfort her and tried to tell her that she would get her a new one, but she didn't seem to be listening.

There was also another thing in her mind though… What if she wasn't quick enough to get her daughter out of the way in time? What would've happened then…? If she wasn't able to save her, then what would have been lying on the road would have been more than just the ruined teddy bear. It would've been her daughter, lying there, dead…

Then, taking a look at the crossroad again, she saw something that made her heart stop in absolute horror. Her little daughter lying on the road, her body broken, and blood pooling around beneath her, her eyes open, but seeing nothing…

' _NO!_ ' Kyouko screamed in her mind, trying to get the horrible image that her own mind was conjuring up out of her head. She vigorously shook her head and opened her eyes again, to see that the awful illusion had disappeared, and realize again that her daughter was with her in her arms. Although she was crying because of the loss of her toy, it was far better sight than the illusion that haunted her for a brief moment.

Soon, the ambulance and the police arrived at the scene. After the paramedics took care of the minor scratches that she and Asuna received, the police started asking her the details of the incident. And during the whole process, Asuna kept sobbing about the loss of her teddy bear, rather than the fact that she was almost run over by a car. Kyouko really didn't know if this was a good or a bad thing. But one thing was for sure: She would have been killed for sure if it hadn't been for her quick action. She needed to protect her daughter, whatever it takes.

* * *

 **Few days later.**

They were inside the toy store where she had gotten the teddy bear for Asuna. She had brought the torn pieces of her daughter's teddy bear with her by her request. But even she could tell that the damage done to it wasn't something that could be fixed. But she went, wanting to be sure of whether it was repairable or not. But expectedly, the clerk shook her head negative. Asuna, who was beside her mother to hear the news herself, started to cry again. Seeing this, Kyouko bent down to her level to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, Asuna. But you heard the clerk… your teddy bear can't be fixed." Kyouko said to her sadly. Asuna just kept shedding tear silently at this.

"It's okay, Asuna… we can get you another one, so don't cry, alright?" Kyouko said, putting her hand on her daughter's head and patting her softly, trying to comfort her.

"No… I don't want another one… it has to be her… it has to be her…" Asuna sobbed. Kyouko just held her, letting her cry it out.

She was just glad that they had both made it out of the ordeal alive. The police had informed her that the incident few days ago was indeed accidental. The driver of the car that almost killed her daughter had admitted that he hadn't been paying attention to the road, and hit the pedal as soon as he saw the light turn green. What was more, during that day, he had been caught on camera going over the speed limit several times as well as showing recklessness on the road. Causing such an accident by reckless driving, the police said that his license would be revoked, and she was glad to hear it. Accident or not, it didn't change the fact that her daughter was almost killed. Looking at her crying daughter in front of her, she decided, she would keep a close eye on her; to keep her out of harm's way. She'll protect her and make her future a happy one; she would see to it.

* * *

 **Fall 2016, 5:00 PM, Yuuki residence.**

Kyouko paced around her room in a state of unease. Asuna was supposed to have been back about an hour ago. Eversince Asuna became an elementary school student; she had put a curfew, telling her to come back as soon as school was done, no excuses. And for the most part, Asuna, who was now in grade 3, had given no complaints about it and followed her order to the letter. After the accident that almost killed her daughter, Kyouko had become somewhat strict on her. She didn't want her daughter to be outside unless she had to; who knew what kind of danger she may run into if she let her be so carefree.

She had also started to have Asuna focus more on her grades, and so far, Asuna had been at the top of her class. Realizing that her daughter had the potential to be successful like her brother did, she started to put more and more pressure on her to stay on top. As far as she could remember, Asuna hadn't shown any rebellious tendencies throughout her life, so she was certain that it would stay that way. So why was she so late?

When she was 15 minutes late, she decided that she would scold her alittle for being past curfew, but when 15 minutes turned to 30, and then to an hour, she started to get seriously worried. Her husband, who had been watching her, finally decided to break the ice.

"Dear, you might be worrying too much. Maybe Asuna had a weekly duty at school and forgot to tell us?" Shouzou tried to calm her down but it didn't work.

"You can't be serious, dear. You know that Asuna's never forgotten to call us when she would be back late from school." She countered.

"Or maybe she just found some new friends to play with. It's not so unusual for girls her age." Shouzou again attempted to dismiss her worries with little success.

"Look, I always told her to come home immediately after school and not play around. She has better things to do, like studying." She answered, to which Shouzou sighed.

"You know, I know that you're doing what you're doing with Asuna's best interest at heart, but, I think you should consider giving her some space. If you keep pressing her to just do nothing but focus on her academics, she'll be less effective because of that pressure. There's a limit to how much a person can handle at a time, you know, no matter how good they are." Shouzou reasoned.

"Oh, she's doing fine. I wouldn't be pressing her to do something she's incapable of. She has talent, dear. And wasting one's talent is a crime. I'll have to teach her that once she gets back home." Kyouko said, fully believing in her philosophy.

Just then, the phone started to ring. Kyouko decided to answer it, thinking that it may be Asuna.

"Hello?" She answered, half expecting her daughter's voice to answer back. But the voice that answered startled her.

" _Is this the Yuuki residence?_ " The voice definitely wasn't her daughter's. What was more, the caller's voice sounded warped and distorted, as if he was using a voice changer.

"Y… yes. Who is this?" She asked, already getting a bad vibe from the voice.

" _Don't you think that your daughter is late; unusually so?_ " The voice asked in what she could make out to be a slightly mocking tone. She froze in horror. How did this person know that?

"Answer me, who are you?" Kyouko asked, trying to remain calm.

" _I have your full attention now, I see. Good. Now, if you want to see your daughter again, do as I say._ " The caller said.

"What did you do to Asuna?!" Kyouko raised her voice, now starting to panic. Shouzou walked up to where she was, concerned at the fact that his wife mentioned their daughter's name. Seeing her husband beside her, she turned the phone to speaker mode to confirm the situation.

" _Calm down, I haven't done anything to the brat, not yet anyway._ " The now confirmed kidnapper answered.

"Where is she?! Let us speak to her!" Kyouko demanded, now in full panic.

" _I don't think you understand the position you're in right now. I'm the one making demands, not you. And she can't say anything right now. She's out cold. Now, if you want to see the brat alive, prepare 10 million yen. I will call back to tell you where to drop the money. And don't even think about calling the cops, or she's dead._ " The kidnapper threatened.

"Alright, alright, we'll do anything, just please, don't harm our daughter. Please." Shouzou said, trying to reason with the kidnapper.

 _"Good. Now, wait for further instructions."_ The kidnapper ordered, and then hung up.

As soon the phone was hung up, Kyouko burst into tears, feeling terrified for her daughter for the third time in her life.

"Dear… it's alright… we just pay the ransom, and I'm sure she'll be released…" Shouzou tried to calm his wife down, but it did little good.

"Why?! Why is this happening to her?!" Kyouko cried.

Shouzou kept trying to calm her down, with little success.

* * *

 **Approximately 30 minutes later.**

Shouzu and Kyouko got to work for getting the money the kidnapper had demanded. And while they were at it, Kouichirou, who was now preparing for university, came back home, only to be alerted to the alarming situation that could potentially take Asuna away from them all; again.

Only 30 minutes had passed since the kidnapper called, but it honestly felt like days for all of them. All they could do was to wait for the next call and pray that Asuna wouldn't be harmed even if they did as they were demanded.

Finally, the phone rang again, and Kyouko answered it before it rang the second time.

"Hello?" She answered nervously, expecting the answer to be in the same warped voice.

"Hello, is this the Yuuki's?" The voice clearly wasn't warped, and the speaking pattern was clearly different as well.

"Who… who is this?" Kyouko asked.

"This is police detective Satou. I'm calling you in regards to the recent kidnapping of your daughter. Please don't worry; your daughter is in safe hands now." The detective told her. She collapsed at where she was; her legs had finally given away from the relief.

"Your daughter is being transported to Tokyo General Hospital. She's not injured, but we're bringing her over there for a check up, just incase. We will tell you the exact details there, so please come over to the Tokyo General Hospital." The detective said.

"Thank you… thank you so much…" Kyouko hiccupped, relieved beyond words at the news.

As soon as she hung up, the three of them wasted no time getting to their car to get to the hospital.

* * *

 **Tokyo General Hospital, 6:00 PM.**

As soon as the Yuuki's car arrived at the hospital, Kyouko and Kouichirou got out immediately to head inside, having Shouzou to park the car first before following them.

As soon as the mother and son reached the receptionist's desk, Kyouko wasted no time asking where her daughter was at. As soon as the nurse told her the desired info, she bolted towards her daughter's ward. When she and her son endered it, they were greeted by a few men in suites having a discussion with the doctor. But more importantly, her young daughter was lying in the bed, seeming to be asleep.

"Asuna!" Kyouko said, making their presence known to the people inside. They rushed to her bed.

"Is she hurt? What exactly happened to her?!" Kouichirou asked the men in the room.

"Your daughter is fine, so please calm down, the both of you." The doctor informed them. Then one of the suited men approached them, and showed his police badge to them.

"I'm detective Satou; the one that called you. Let me explain what happened." He said.

* * *

After Shouzou arrived in the room a few minutes later, Satou began his explanation. The kidnapping had happened a few hours ago. He had drugged Asuna to sleep using chloroform when she was on her way back home. And fortunately, the kidnapper had been quite careless, as there was a witness who had seen a man wearing a mask and sunglasses, covering his face, putting an unconscious girl into his car, which he reported to the police immediately, telling them of what he saw as well as telling them the license plate of the car. So after a while, the police located the vehicle in question, but the kidnapper had discovered that the police were onto him, leading to a dramatic car chase throughout the city. After a while, the police had cornered the culprit by setting up barricades, but the kidnapper had stubbornly refused to give up and tried to turn a quick corner, which resulted in the car unable to handle the momentum and roll on its side several times and capsizing when it came to a stop.

The kidnapper had been killed instantly from the crash, but the little girl was unharmed, minus a few scratches, which was in itself a miracle, considering the extensive damage done to the criminal's car. And during all that fiasco, Asuna had been blissfully unaware of the danger she was in because of being put to sleep.

Judging from the evidence the police found in the kidnapper's car, which included a collection of photos with Asuna in them, meaning that the kidnapper had been gathering information on her and her family with the intention of kidnapping her for money from the very start. So Satou advised to keep a closer eye on the child, to which Kyouko couldn't agree more.

After they were briefed about the situation, and the police and the doctors left to give the family some space, Kyouko heard a sound that was so welcoming that she stopped thinking whatever she was thinking.

"Uuh… Where… where am I…?" A soft voice coming from the hospital bed asked groggily. Hearing her voice, Kyouko got to her side instantly.

"Asuna!" She exclaimed, pulling her into a hug, surprising the young girl. Shouzou and Kouichirou, realizing Asuna was awake, gathered around her bed as well.

"You're awake! Thank goodness!"

"Are you feeling alright, Asuna?"

Shouzou and Kouichirou asked respectively.

"Yes…? What, what's this about…?" Asuna asked, confused by their concern as well as her mother's unusual behavior.

"What do you mean… you… don't you remember what happened?" Kyouko asked.

"Umm… No… I remember walking home, and after that… nothing… Wait, is this the hospital…? Why am I here?" Asuna asked, genuinely clueless.

Kyouko didn't know what to say about this turn of event. Well, the detective did say that she had been drugged to sleep, so it made sense for her to not remember anything. And maybe it was best that she doesn't know.

She saw her husband finish gathering his thoughts to answer his daughter's question. She gave him a look and their eyes met. The eye contact was brief, but her message was clear: _'DON'T. TELL. HER.'_

He seemed to have gotten her message, for he said: "You… you were in an accident, Asuna. That's what happened. You've been out for a few hours. We're just glad that you're back safe." Shouzou explained, feeling a bit guilty about lying to his daughter. Kyouko was just glad that he was able to come up with something to keep her daughter from knowing what kind of danger she had been in. Kouichirou on the other hand didn't know what to think about this. But he decided to go along with it for now.

"Please… please don't scare us like this again, dear. You worried us sick." Kyouko said.

"I won't… I promise." Asuna answered, not knowing that this promise would be in vain years later.

"Asuna, listen to me. From now on, I want you to come back home, AS SOON as class ends; no excuses. I'll have someone to come pick you up everyday from now on. Is that clear?" Kyouko asked, further confusing Asuna.

"Eh…? But, why all of a sudden…" She tried to ask, but her mother cut her off.

"Is. That. Clear, Asuna?" Kyouko repeated, a little more sternly.

"Y… yes…" Asuna answered.

"Good…" Kyouko said, embracing her daughter once again.

This was the third time she was taken away from her. This event only solidified her resolve to make have Asuna walk towards a future she would be happy with, out of harm's way, not knowing that the true hardships for them all were yet to come.

* * *

 **November 6, 2022**

Kyouko sat at her desk, typing away on her computer. The house was quiet, with her husband being at the office and her son on a business trip. Asuna was in her room, studying based on what Kyouko had been told.

Suddenly, Kyouko heard the phone ring. After a few rings, she heard Sada pick up downstairs. Kyouko disregarded it as nothing, probably some trifle matter that she would have to deal with once Sada called for her. But she began to grow suspicious when she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps rushing upstairs. The door to one of the other rooms open and Sada gasped.

"Young mistress! No, this can't be!"

The mention of Asuna had Kyouko spring out of her seat. She came out of her office and saw the door to Asuna's room open with Sada standing on the other side.

"Sada? What's wrong?!" Kyouko asked as she came up to Asuna's room. When she looked inside she gasped.

Asuna was laying on her bed. A device that Kyouko recalled belonging to Kouichirou, the Nerve Gear if she remembered correctly, was strapped to her head.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Kyouko asked in outrage. "Asuna is supposed to be studying!" She walked up to remove the Nerve Gear from her daughter's head, but was stopped as Sada grabbed her arm. "What are you doing, Sada-san?"

"Mistress, that was the young master on the phone just now." Sada explained. "He called saying Asuna was using the Nerve Gear with his permission."

"I don't care about that, I am her mother! Asuna has no time to spend playing these silly games!"

"There's more!" Sada continued. "A call was just recently put out. The game for the Nerve Gear, Sword Art Online, was just revealed to be a death game. If a person dies in it, the Nerve Gear will fry their brain in the real world and kill them." Before Kyouko could react to rip the Nerve Gear off in worry for her daughter, Sada explained further. "And if the Nerve Gear is forcibly removed by someone in the real world, the same thing will happen."

Kyouko's eyes widened as she brought her hands to her mouth to cover her gasp. She stared at her daughter lying helplessly on the bed wearing the device that could very well kill her in an instant. "No… No…" she fell to her knees as tears formed in her eyes. "It can't be… Asuna…"

* * *

 **Later at the hospital**

After hearing about Asuna's situation, Kouichirou and Shouzou dropped everything and rushed to the hospital. When Shouzou arrived, he found his wife sitting at Asuna's bedside. Asuna laid on the hospital bed with the Nerve Gear strapped to her head.

"Oh Asuna… Why do things like this keep happening? We do everything we can to keep her safe, and yet she's always in danger!" Kyouko asked herself.

Shouzou sat down next to his wife. "Dear, they have the best people in the world right now trying to think of how to free them I'm sure. Asuna will be back with us before you know it."

"But what will this do to her future?" Kyouko asked. "She'll miss school! She'll fall behind the other kids! She'll-"

"Dear" Shouzou said. "Asuna will be fine. She's our daughter after all."

Kyouko embraced her husband tightly as tears rolled down her eyes. She had said she was worried about Asuna's future, but in the back of her mind her real thoughts were occurring. 'What if I never hold her again? What if I never see her smile again? What if I never get to tell her just how much I love her.'

For that night, and for the next three nights after that, Kyouko barely got any sleep.

* * *

 **April 28th 2023** **. Approximately h** **alf a year into SAO**

"Higher! Swing me higher mama!"

Asuna's gleeful laugh was the only thing Kyouko could hear as she pushed Asuna on the swingset. She was filled with innocence, as if nothing could go wrong in the world. It was moments like these that Kyouko found herself genuinely able to smile.

"You really have no end to that boundless energy, do you Asuna?" Kyouko asked.

"Not as long as mama is with me." Asuna smiled.

Kyouko thought back to her days as a child. She would love playing at the local park in Miyagi. Her parents would spend all day with her and simply play. Such simpler times those were.

Asuna jumped off the swingset. As she landed, she turned to her mother. "Mama, let's go to the slide next."

"Alright Asuna. Just wait up." Kyouko said as she walked after her daughter.

Kyouko followed her daughter as Asuna ran happily towards the slide. "Asuna dear, wake up for your mother."

Asuna turned back towards Kyouko. "What was that mama? Did you say wake up? Am I sleeping?"

Kyouko's eyes widened as she realized what she had said. Suddenly, Asuna began to get fuzzy and the distance between her and Kyouko grew. Kyouko quickly took off running towards her daughter. "Asuna!" she called out. "Asuna!"

The distance between mother and daughter didn't lessen. Instead, it seemed to grow the faster Kyouko ran. "Mama… mama… mama…"

"Kyouko! Kyouko!"

She suddenly felt as if someone was shaking her body. In that instant, Kyouko's eyes shot open. She was no longer at the park. Asuna wasn't with her. Instead, she found herself right outside her house, near the edge of the street and wearing her nightgown. Her husband was standing right in front of her, looking very sad and worried. She breathed heavily as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

'What happened to me?' She thought, still a bit disoriented from being shaken awake.

"Shouzou…?" Kyouko questioned, slowly regaining her bearings. "What was I doing?"

"You were sleepwalking." Shouzou explained. "When I woke up, you weren't there. I looked outside the window, and saw you walking out towards the street."

"I see…" Kyouko realized. Before she knew it, tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "In Your Past")**

"Dear?" Shouzou asked, seeing the tears in his wife's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Asuna… she…" Kyouko couldn't hold it in anymore and fell to her knees crying. "Asuna! Oh, Asuna!"

Realizing that she must have dreamt about Asuna, Shouzou kneeled down next to his wife and put a hand on her shoulder. "Kyouko, I know you've been saying that you're doing alright despite Asuna's condition. Perhaps you're not as ok as you think." He rubbed her back gently. "It's ok to cry dear. I'm right here."

Kyouko turned her head to her husband and began embracing him tightly as she cried. "Shouzou… what if Asuna… what if I never get to see her again… I can't…"

"Shhh, it's alright." Shouzou said soothingly. "Asuna's a strong girl. She'll come back to us. I know it."

"Please… please… Kami-sama (God), if she has to be taken away… please… take me in her place…!" She pleaded, followed by a gut-wrenching cry. That wish was probably the wish of the entire surviving SAO victim's family. But no one would know if their prayers of their loved ones coming back alive would be answered or not. The currently unfolding scene was definite proof of that.

Kyouko didn't know how long she stayed outside with her husband as she cried. All she knew was that she couldn't deny her worry for Asuna any longer.

* * *

 **September 30, 2023** **. About o** **ne year into SAO** **.**

Kyouko had known that her husband was mostly giving her false hope when he said Asuna would be free in a couple of days when Sword Art Online started. But the past year had been definite proof. Asuna, nor any of the ten thousand players for that matter, had been freed from the horrid death game. Unless she counted the three thousand unfortunate people that had died so far to it as being 'freed'.

What was more, despite the authorities 'doing their best', the perpetrator of this whole nightmare, Kayaba Akihiko, was still eluding capture. The man had practically become a ghost. Even the people at Argus, the company Kayaba worked for to develop SAO, couldn't find him.

And speaking of Argus, it was not too long ago that they went bankrupt. With one of their best workers being the cause of this catastrophic event, their reputation had dropped as quickly as snow melting away in springtime. With the massive lawsuits they faced, as well as the damages they had to pay for put an irrepairable damage on the company.

But that hardly mattered to Kyouko. Nothing mattered without her daughter beside her…

Nearly a year so far had passed since the death game had begun. And in that one year, Kyouko had found her hope diminishing more and more at ever seeing Asuna again. There was no way to tell just how close the players inside were to beating it and freeing everyone. But then again, there was no absolute guarantee that the players would be freed even if the game was beaten.

Kyouko wanted to think her daughter would do the smart thing and stay safe while letting the others risk their lives and clear the game. But in the back of her mind, Kyouko knew that Asuna had always had a hidden adventurous side to her. She shuddered at the thought of Asuna foolishly risking her life and getting killed as a result.

The day was September 30th, Asuna's birthday. Though needless to say, no one was in a celebratory mood with the guest of honor still being comatose.

Kouichirou had taken the day off from work to go visit Asuna at the hospital. Kyouko could hear her son coming downstairs for the planned visit. Kyouko knew what would happen if they went though. Kouichirou would be forced to look at his sister and cry, just as she did on the inside every time she saw Asuna lying on that hospital bed.

The door to the dining room opened and Kouichirou poked his head in. "Mother, it's time to get going."

Kyouko stayed seated at the table. She kept her gaze on the article she was reading, unable to look her son in the eye. "Kouichirou… perhaps we shouldn't go today."

The Yuuki son widened his eyes as he heard this. "What do you mean?"

"I see little point in celebrating the birthday of someone who won't be mentally present." Kyouko lied.

"Mentally present?" Kouichirou asked, his voice rising slightly in anger. "So are you saying we should just forget about Asuna because her mind is trapped in some other world?!"

Kyouko shook her head. "No, I'm just saying that Asuna wouldn't want us to waste our time going to visit her when-"

"Waste our time?!" Kouichirou yelled, no longer able to hide the anger in his voice.

"How could you say that? She's your daughter and my sister! Going to visit her is anything but a waste, especially since we barely get to do it at all!"

"Kouichirou if you would just understand. We don't even know if Asuna will…" as the words Kyouko uttered exited her mouth, she immediately regretted it. But it was too late, for her son had already heard it.

"You don't even have faith that she'll come back to us, do you?" he asked coldly. Kyouko could give no response, staying silent. "I should have known. No wonder you've stopped going to visit her. All you see her as now is a dead corpse."

Kyouko gasped at her son.

"No, of course not. Kouichirou, I-."

"Spare me." Kouichirou snapped. "I'm going to visit my sister, who's currently fighting for her life! A little something her heartless mother seems to have forgotten!"

Kyouko didn't get another word in as Kouichirou walked out of the room and slammed the front door of the house shut. Tears began to roll down the woman's eyes.

It was only natural for Kouichirou to act this way, since he had no idea of just how much this incident was taking its toll on her.

After she had started sleepwalking, and during the treatment for it, Kyouko had pleaded with her husband not to tell anyone about it, especially Kouichirou. He had enough on his mind already, and she really didn't want to add to his grief. Her husband had argued against this for some time, but had ultimately given in.

 _'If only you knew the real reason, son. I already have to accept my daughter could be taken from me at any moment. I can't bear to see the look in your eyes when you look at Asuna now._ ' Kyouko tired to wipe the tears in her eyes, but new ones kept coming to replace them.

 _'Asuna, please. Whatever you're doing right now just make it back to us alive. Your brother needs you_ _. Your father needs you._ _I need you. Please… come back to us._ ' The heartbroken mother prayed hopelessly.

* * *

 **November 7, 2024**

Kyouko sat in her office and typed away at her laptop. A cup of coffee was placed right at her side. It was just any ordinary day for her. Another day of work. Another day at the office. Another day… another day that Asuna was stuck in that cursed death game.

' _It'll be nearly two years soon._ ' Kyouko thought to herself. _'Asuna… what are you doing right now? Are you safe?_ '

When Asuna's birthday had rolled around this year, things had been somewhat tense. Kouichirou still hadn't forgotten his mother's words from the year before, and she could still feel the resentment he held towards her for it. Kyouko had gone to visit Asuna this year, but Kouichirou had only seen it as a hollow gesture.

' _If only you knew the real reason, Kouichirou. If only you and Asuna knew how much I love you both. How much I-_ '

"Kyouko!" one of her colleagues called out. "The hospital just called!"

Kyouko's blood ran cold at hearing those words. Those were the words she had dreaded hearing for the past two years. ' _No… please no… This can't be happening._ '

"They're waking up!" The colleague said.

Kyouko's eyes widened as she looked at her colleague. She had heard the words, but she they had yet to fully register. She wasn't entirely sure she had heard correctly. "What… What did you say?"

"Everyone is waking up!" she told her. "Apparently Sword Art Online has been cleared!"

"You should go Kyouko. We can-" another one of her co-workers said.

Kyouko didn't even need permission from them to get up and rush out the door. She ran out of the building and went straight into her car. The vehicle zoomed down the road as Kyouko made her way to the hospital.

' _They're awake…_ ' Kyouko thought to herself.

 _'Asuna's awake…_ '

 **(Play the OST: "She's Still Sleeping")**

As soon as she arrived at the hospital, she rushed up to her daughter's room. There were already several families at the hospital. Happy reunions were taking place all around her. She would soon join those families in their joys of having their loved ones come back to them… She couldn't waste one second. She ran to her daughter's room, tears of anticipation welling up in her eyes.

 _'Asuna's awake…'_

She finally reached her daughter's room. The thoughts of seeing her daughter's face and hearing her voice were the only things driving her.

 _'Asuna's awake…'_

She opened the door to her daughter's room, fully anticipating that she would be awake by now.

* * *

Kyouko had faced all kinds of disappointments throughout her lifetime, but this one definitely had to be the worst, as well the most heartbreaking one.

 _'She's still sleeping…'_

Her whole family had arrived at Asuna's room, expecting her to be waking up just like the others had. But as seconds became minutes, and minutes became hours, it was clear that Asuna wasn't waking up. None of them could understand what was going on.

 _'She's still not back…'_

"What is going on here; why isn't she waking up?!" Kyouko bellowed, frustrated.

"Ma'am, I understand you're angry. But we have no idea why this is happening. Your daughter isn't the only one. Based on the reports we've gotten, nearly three hundred still have yet to wake up."

"But SAO was cleared wasn't it?! Can't we just take the Nerve Gear off?!" Her husband asked, equally disappointed, but the doctor shook his head.

"The function of the Nerve Gear that would kill someone if forcibly removed was built into the hardware. It'll happen as long as it's on. There's nothing we can do I'm afraid. I'm sorry."

"Dammit…" Kouichirou lamented.

 _'She's still gone…'_

"No… No…" Kyouko broke down into tears as she kneeled down at Asuna's bedside. She cried as she begged for her daughter to come back to her.

' _Asuna… wake up. Please. I need you to wake up. Come back to me._ ' Kyouko didn't know how long she stayed like that. She had never felt more heartbroken in her entire life.

* * *

 **January 22, 2025** **, early morning.**

Kyouko tossed around lazily in her bed, trying to fall back asleep after being woken up by the ringing of the phone. But the phone still rang, and she was unable to be drowned out. She had hoped her husband would get it, but he was still fast asleep and unaware based on what she could tell. Finally she picked up the phone at her bedside and answered the call.

"Hello. Who is this, and do you have any idea what time it is?" Kyouko answered, annoyed.

"Hello, this is Tokyo General Hospital. Sorry to bother you Mrs. Yuuki, but there's something we believe you'd like to know." The mention of the hospital where Asuna was roused her awake.

"Yes, what is it?" Kyouko asked.

"Your daughter is awake." the person from the other line said. "She just woke up about thirty minutes ago."

Kyouko's eyes widened as she brought her free hand to cover her gasp. After taking a few seconds to recover from her shock, she spoke back into the phone.

"You're sure of this? She's really awake?" Kyouko couldn't bear to get her hopes up again only to have them trampled upon like the last time she had heard this news.

"We're positive. If you want, you can speak to her right now." Kyouko heard the phone move from one person to another. The next voice that spoke into was one she had thought she might never hear again.

"Mom…" The weak, yet familiar voice was like music to her ears.

"Asuna…" Kyouko gasped. "Is… Is that really you?"

"It's me mom." Asuna said, Kyouko could practically hear the tears forming in her daughter's eyes. "I'm back."

"Asuna…" Kyouko tried to dry her eyes, but new ones kept forming.

"We're on our way right now. Just stay there, sweetheart."

"I don't really have much of a choice, mom. I can barely move right now." Asuna said as she let out a weak chuckle.

Kyouko let out a small chuckle of her own before hanging up the phone. The conversation had stirred her husband awake as he sat up and rubbed his groggy eyes.

"What is it dear? Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Asuna's awake." Kyouko said, barely able to believe the words herself.

Shouzou's eyes widened as he heard the news. He and Kyouko quickly got out of bed and got dressed. Shouzou called Kouichirou, who was supposed to be staying in a hotel at the next city over. The Yuuki son was ecstatic to hear the good news and said he would be on his way shortly.

* * *

Her husband had always been a professional and safe driver. But for this one car ride, he threw professionalism out the window, nearly running a red light on his way to the hospital, and frankly, she couldn't be upset with him, for he must be feeling the same thing as she was.

When Kyouko and Shouzou arrived at the hospital, Kyouko rushed to the front desk. "Hello, I'm here to see my daughter. I just received a call saying that she had woken up from her coma."

"Ah you must be the Yuuki's." the receptionist said. "I apologize, but you'll have to wait for a little. We're currently running some tests on your daughter to make sure she's alright."

"Please! Just a little bit of time is all I'm asking!"

The receptionist shook her head. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. The tests shouldn't take very long. While you're waiting, there is someone that would like to talk with you."

Kyouko looked over as the person the receptionist was talking to walked up to them. He had raven black hair and there was a bandage on his arm and cheek. "Hello, Yuuki-san."

"Kirigaya-kun." Shouzou said with his eyes widened in surprise. "I wasn't aware that you knew Asuna was awake."

"About that…" Kazuto said. "There're a few things I believe you should know."

While waiting for Asuna's tests to be completed, Kyouko and Shouzou sat down with Kazuto in the lobby. Kyouko had never seen this Kazuto, but her husband introduced him as Kirito the hero who cleared SAO, as well as a close friend of Asuna's during the death game. She still didn't fully trust this Kazuto person, but she decided to take her husband's word for it.

Kazuto explained about how the person keeping Asuna and the other three hundred SAO Survivors trapped in their comas was Sugou Noboyuki. He then went on to talk about the things Sugou had been doing in secret, as well as what he had done to Asuna when Kazuto had come to rescue her in ALO. At first Shouzou didn't want to believe that the man he had trusted for so long was responsible for so many inhumane acts, but the more the story went on the more things made sense.

Kouichirou had shown up halfway through the story, and hearing the things Sugou had done didn't surprise him one bit, though he seriously wanted to take a swing at him after hearing what he had done to Asuna.

"Where is that son of a bitch?" Kouichirou asked with clenched fists. "I swear, I'm going to make him regret the day he was born for what he did."

"He's currently in police custody." Kazuto explained. "When I arrived at the hospital, he attacked and tried to kill me." He pointed to the bandages on his cheek and arm to further prove his story. "I managed to subdue him, and the police took him away after they arrived."

Shouzou buried his hands into his face. "My own company is responsible for such a horrific nightmare. I can hardly believe this. I don't know if I can even show my face in front of Asuna for what I did."

"It's not your fault sir. The blame rests entirely on Sugou and the others working with him." Kazuto said with a shake of his head. "And I know Asuna doesn't blame you either. If you have any doubt about that, you can ask her yourself."

Shouzou wasn't completely sure if he even had the right to see Asuna right now, but after a bit of persuading on his son and wife's part, the three of them went to see their daughter, along with Kazuto.

As Kyouko stood in front of the door to Asuna's room, she mentally prepared herself. After taking a deep breath, she and her family walked in. They walked around the curtain and saw her sitting there. A smile coming from the chestnut haired girl as she looked at them.

( **A/N: Play the OST: "A Tender Feeling"** )

Kyouko hadn't seen her daughter awake in over two years. There was so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted to do. But all of those thoughts escaped her memory as she did the only thing she could think of. She ran up to her daughter and hugged her tightly, tears falling profusely. At least this time, they weren't tears of anguish, sadness, or disappointment, but genuine happy tears. "Asuna! Oh my baby Asuna! You're really back!"

A tear fell from Asuna's eyes as she hugged her mother back, the mother and daughter both trapped in each other's warm embrace. "I missed you so much, mom."

"I missed you too Asuna."

When Shouzou walked up to Asuna, he had so much he wanted to apologize for. Asuna quickly silenced him, and told him she didn't blame him for any of it. She confirmed to her family the truth behind everything Kazuto had said. Shouzou also got a call from Recto's office, telling him that Sugou's fellow conspirators had all been arrested after trying to delete the evidence of their actions from ALO's main database. There was no possible way for them to deny Kazuto's claims now.

The long and heartwarming family reunion lasted into the morning when the sun was beginning to rise. Kazuto had left after a few hours, and told Asuna that he would be sure to come visit again soon. When it was finally time for the Yuuki family to leave though, they all had one thing that had been at the back of their minds.

They needed to talk about Sugou.

* * *

 **Later at the Yuuki mansion**

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Crooked Mind")**

"I told you that Sugou wasn't to be trusted!" Kouichirou yelled. "Time and time again I told you that Asuna never liked him! But you didn't listen to me! Well look at where we are now!"

"Kouichirou, calm down." Shouzou told his son. "Sugou did some very terrible things, there is no denying that. But you have to believe me, I had no idea the things he was doing."

"That's what happens when you put so much trust in a disgusting rat like him!" Kouichirou argued. "And the two of you were even planning to marry Asuna off to him while she was still in a coma?! How could you even think of such a thing!"

"Now hold on, Kouichirou." Kyouko argued. "I did not make any plans whatsoever for Asuna to marry that… that criminal!" Man wasn't a word that befitted someone of Sugou's worthless actions. "Your father was the one that-"

"Oh don't even try blaming this entire thing on him!" Kouichirou shouted, cutting off his mother. "How DARE you act like you haven't been planning to marry Asuna off for the past few years! Even before SAO, you were setting up suitors for her to marry!"

"And if this event shows anything it is that I was right to do so! I cannot allow Asuna to risk her bright future after it came so close to being destroyed!"

Kouichirou couldn't believe the words coming out of his mother's mouth. "Maybe you haven't been paying attention mother, because the last I checked one of these suitors you had prepared for Asuna without her consent-"Kouichirou put a large amount of emphasis on those last few words "-is also the one responsible for imprisoning her for two months, and committing crimes that are sure to throw RECT's reputation into the mud! You have no right to choose anything for Asuna's future! You know who she deserves to be with?! Someone that makes HER happy!"

"If you are suggesting I entrust Asuna's future to that boy, I can assure you that is not happening until I can guarantee he will be able to support Asuna financially."

Kouichirou grew enraged at Kyouko's stubborness. "That boy happens to be the one Asuna owes her freedom to! Not to mention that Asuna clearly loves him! Are you seriously about to deny Asuna the chance at a happy future AGAIN?!"

"Enough! I will not discuss this matter any further!" Kyouko declared. She turned around and stormed upstairs to her room, slamming the door shut in the process.

She had nearly lost her daughter far too many times. And Asuna had gone through so much suffering over the past two years. Kyouko vowed to herself that she would not let Asuna's future be up to fate. She would make sure she had the stable future she would need to become a successful member of society.

* * *

 **March 31st, 2026, Yuuki Manor, Immediately after Asuna's departure.**

"How could you?!"

Kyouko stood in the living room of the Yuuki manor, along with Shouzou as Kouichirou yelled angrily at both of them. He had run out of the house in an attempt to chase after Asuna, but it was clear that it had ended in failure. And now he had spent the past few minutes yelling at both of them.

"Kouichirou please understand." Shouzou said. "We were only trying to-"

"To ruin Asuna's future and throw away any trust she had left in this family?! Well you sure did a hell of a job at it!" Kouichirou yelled. "This is what you get for forcing your ideas for Asuna's life onto her."

"We were trying to give Asuna a bright future!" Kyouko declared. "She's still too young to make such important decisions about her life!"

"And you think YOU of all people are qualified to do it?!" Kouichirou asked. "You're the most heartless, thoughtless woman I've ever known!"

"Watch the way you speak to your mother!" Shouzou said. "I know you're angry about what happened with Asuna, but-"

"Angry isn't even the word for it." Kouichirou stated. He glared at his mother. "And you had the nerve to try comparing the two of us! Did you think for even a second how that would make her feel?" The anger in his voice couldn't be hidden any longer as he was practically screaming at this point. "You know, when Asuna started to act happy again I thought you were actually starting to change. That maybe you had begun to realize what's truly best for Asuna. But I was wrong. You still don't give a damn about anyone other than yourself."

"How can you say that?" Kyouko gasped. "Everything I did, every moment, it was to give you and your sister a better future. And look at where you stand now thanks to my guidance."

"And you know what, I hated every minute of it." Kouichirou told her. "I may be successful, and maybe that is due to your help, but there're more important things in life than money and social status. Asuna's realized that, but I can't say the same for you." He shook his head.

"And another thing, did you think I liked the way you planned out everything for me. It was always, study this, do that. I didn't get to have fun at all because of that. And you did the exact same thing to Asuna, forcing everything onto her."

"I was just-"

"You were just being a horrible excuse of a mother, that's what." Kouichirou said. He walked upstairs, leaving both of his parents on the first floor. "You still don't understand it. What's truly important in life. And until you do, there's no chance that Asuna will ever come home."

Kyouko stayed seated as she thought to herself. Everything she had done up until this point. She had always told herself it was in Asuna's best interest. That was what she had always said. But today, it had all come crashing down on top of her.

 _'Is it really true? Am I… am I a horrible mother?'_

* * *

Was she really a horrible mother…? She had the best intentions for her children… she wanted them to have a happy and secure future. Her intentions were noble; there was no doubt about that. And she had done everything in her power to make that a reality.

But now, looking at the reality of things, everything had started to spiral out of control since who knew when.

There was another thing that had constantly bothered her: the series of misfortune that kept happening around her daughter. From birth, she had to face death so many times, some she didn't even know she had to face. Kouichirou has had no life-threatening incidents happen around him throughout his life, but for some reason, trouble and danger always seemed to gravitate towards Asuna like a nail being attracted to a magnet. Although none of the incidents had clamed her life, each and every one of them had been no less harrowing. Maybe that was one of the reasons that she had become so paranoid in ensuring to give her future she had envisioned; to put her out of reach of trouble and danger.

But that had eventually led to engaging Asuna with Sugou; which then led to catastrophic results, which could still be felt by her family today. It was most likely, no, definitely because of that that Asuna rejected her ideals. Actually… reject may not even be the word for it. She had hated the idea so much that she had wished death…

Was she really a bad mother…? She wanted her children to be happy… she had wanted that eversince she had started this family, but they didn't want anything to do with her because of that…

 _"You want to know what's really wrong? I'm sick of being treated like I'm not even here! Asuna, do nothing but study; Asuna, don't have fun, especially with those lower class children; Asuna, you better choose some pompous rich boy we've chosen for you to marry because that's the only way we can define your life as a success!"_

 _"Since the day I can remember, you've done nothing but discourage us. And on the rare occasions you actually tried to help, you've only made things worse that it would've been better for you to have done nothing at all!"_

 _"I thought it would be different with you two, I mean, you are my parents; but it turns out that you're no better than that Sugou Nobuyuki!"_

 _"Kayaba Akihiko may have been the one to initiate this whole series of tragedy, but Sugou Nobuyuki was no less a monster, and everything that bastard did, he did under YOUR ignorance!"_

 _"I hate you! I hate you all, and I never want to see your faces again!"_

 _"Asuna was right. You really are no better than Sugou!"_

Those hateful words were thrown at her from the mouths of her own children… the people she loved so much… What could she do now…? If only things had gone the way she had planned AND wanted…

* * *

She opened her eyes to find herself in a whole crowd of people. Taking a look around her, it looked like she was in the middle of some kind of reception. And the people around her all seemed to be focused on the stage. Then, the crowd started cheering. Even though she wasn't looking, she could tell that the key people of the reception had entered the scene. She turned around to see just who the center of attention for everyone. However, as soon as she registered just who were on the stage of the reception, she could have sworn that her whole body had frozen. Her eyes opened wide in horror at seeing the two people before them all. The mere sight alone was undescribably horrifying.

The two people were none other than Sugou Nobuyuki, but what was truly horrendous was the fact that he had someone in his arms; the person in question seemed to be unconscious, most likely because of that wretched grey helmet that was strapped to her head… An unconscious Asuna was at the hand of that monster, wearing a wedding gown…

 **(Play the OST: "False King" – Loop the soundtrack until further notice.)**

"I've waited for this moment for so long, my beautiful princess." He said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Her hands automatically covered her mouth as she gave a horrified scream at the terrible sight, but it was drowned out by the loud cheering of the people around her. Why were they cheering? Didn't any of them know just what kind of disaster was happening before them? But they kept on cheering, and Kyouko could clearly hear some of the people say things like: 'Congradulations.', 'They look so perfect together.', and other complements along those lines. Each of those words petrified her more and more.

When she finally managed to recover from her horror, she started heading to the stage, as quickly as her unstable legs allowed her. And as she did, the people around her just kept on cheering.

Then, one of the people, a woman, who were cheering for Sugou and Asuna turned and faced her.

"Congradulations, Yuuki-san! You must be happy for your daughter right now!" Kyouko couldn't believe what she was hearing. Why were they all cheering for them?! Didn't they know what kind of monster Sugou really was?

"Wh… what are you talking about?! I have to stop this; I have to stop them, RIGHT NOW!" Kyouko screamed. At this, one of her companions asked.

"Stop…? But, why?" She asked, in what sounded like a mocking tone.

"Why…?! What do you mean, why?! I can't let Asuna fall into the hands of that vermin! She'll be miserable for the rest of her life if she does!" She shouted, trying to get to where her daughter was. But the woman continued.

"I'm sorry? Why stop now when you've already put so much effort into making this happen?"

"And besides, wasn't it you that pushed her into this marriage in the first place? You were the one always going on about marrying her off to a man with good reputation and high social status. And now, you got your wish!" They replied, now in a fully mocking way. Kyouko stood frozen at her words, horrified even further. She was the one that did all this…?!

"No…! No no no no no no no!" Kyouko hyper-vented. She continued heading to the front, where she by passed others giving her unnecessary and unwanted congratulations.

"Get out of the way! Move!"

She started pushing them out of her way, throwing all her civics out the window. She had to save her daughter… if she really was the one that did this, she had to be the one to stop it; no matter what.

As she made her way to where Asuna was, a familiar voice stopped her.

"This was your idea of a 'bright' future for us?" She turned to the direction the voice came from to see her son glaring at her menacingly.

"You've always said that everything that you did, you did for both my and Asuna's well being. But just how in hell does this look like a happy life for her?! What's next, let her be treated like his slave and ignore it because of his 'social status'?!"

"Kouichirou, no, listen! I didn't mean…" Kyouko started, but her son didn't give her a chance to finish.

"Save it. I'm sick of your excuses. When things don't go your way, you always blame others and avoid responsibility, just like Sugou. You've condemned Asuna to a life that's worse than death. That's something that I'll never forgive." He then gave a frustrated sigh. "It's over between us. Don't even say to anyone that we're related. It's disgraceful." He said. Kyouko tried to stop him, but he turned his back on her and disappeared.

"Kouichirou! No, wait!" Kyouko shouted, but he didn't come back. She stayed where she was, shocked.

Then, she heard another familiar voice. "I trusted you! I thought you knew what you were doing! Now look at this! What have you gotten our daughter into?!"

She turned to the sound to see her husband just as upset and angry as their son was.

"No, I never wanted, or planned for this to happen! You have to help me, help me stop this from happening!" Kyouko shouted, but the response she got wasn't what she wanted, or expected.

"I'm sorry, Kyouko… but it's over for us. I trusted you to give both Kouichirou and Asuna a life they can be happy with. But if you can't do something as simple as that, then we really have no business calling each other family!" With those words, he too disappeared from her sight.

"Anata (Dear)! Come back!" But her pleading went unanswered.

But then, remembering of what kind of situation Asuna was in, she judged that reasoning with her son and husband had to wait. Saving Asuna was the top priority. She would crawl her way there if she had to.

As she started to head towards where the evil man held her daughter, she started hearing words that made her wish that she'd rather hear the congradulations again. She heard the conversation of two female voices discussing together.

"Hmph. Look at her. That stuck up and arrogant woman."

"Does she have any idea of what she's done to her own daughter?"

"You tell me… She was always going on about marrying her off to someone she thought was good enough for her. Just how blind is she to choose someone like him to give her own daughter to?"

"And I just feel so sorry for that girl… She's the one who has to pay for her mother's foolishness."

"Do you think she even knows just what she's sentenced her own daughter into?"

"I wonder if she even cares… I wonder if she ever cared… Hmph!"

Hearing those harsh words felt just like being stabbed in the heart ten thousand times.

Then, the cheering around her all died down, and in its place, jeering and all kinds of profanity started being directed at her. Everyone in the crowd was now looking at her with disgust and reproach.

She passed by so many people, each of them giving her insults.

"You married your own daughter to that demon?!"

"And you call yourself a mother?!"

The insults went on. But despite that, Kyouko kept pushing forward; the only thing on her mind being to pull her daughter away from the grasp of the monster.

"Asuna was much happier with me! I was WILLING to make her happy! Why couldn't you see that and just let her be happy with me like she wanted?!" From the crowd, she barely made out Kirigaya Kazuto bellowing at her.

"Just what did Asuna do to deserve this?! She deserved better than this!" She made out another one of Asuna's friend, Shinozaki, shout at her as well.

She tried desperately to stop listening to the harsh words of everyone around her, but they only seemed to be growing louder.

Then, a slap came from out of nowhere. It was strong enough to knock her off her feet and make her collapse to the ground. Disoriented, she tried to get up from where she was, until she saw the faces of two people who she thought she would never see again as long as she lived. In front of her, her long deceased mother and father stood, looking down at her with mournful expressions.

"M… mother… father…" She croaked, shocked.

They continued to look down at her. Then, they eventually shook their heads, slowly. That action conveyed their message clearly: " _We're so disappointed in you._ "

That was it… The image of the disappointment of her parents… It was so much more than what she could stand… She felt like she had let them down… That was something that she couldn't forgive herself with. She had to stop this here and now, no matter the cost.

She rose again to her shaky legs to finally reach where the two were.

"Get your… filthy hands… off my child!" She hit Sugou with all the possible strengths she could gather and pulled Asuna away from his grasp. Then, surprisingly, his body crumbled away as if it had been made out of dust. But she hardly noticed. She was too busy trying to wake her daughter up.

"Asuna…! Asuna…! Please, wake up! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything I did…!" She begged, but her daughter didn't move.

"Please wake up! I can't smile without you!" She continued, with no response again. Instead, like Sugou had, her daughter's body crumbled away into dust in her arms.

Before she even had time to register her grief, the scenery changed again.

 **(A/N: OST "False King" – end)**

* * *

She was no longer in the reception. Instead, she seemed to be outdoors. And again, so many people were gathered all around her. But this time, there were no cheering this time around. In fact, most of the people gathered were crying, and a few others had solumn expression on their faces. She looked around to see her son, her husband, and the rest of their relatives crying as well. She also spotted the Kirigaya's and the rest of Asuna's friends among the gathered, all of them crying as well.

But, where was Asuna? She looked around her again to see where Asuna was, but she couldn't find her anywhere. But then, something else caught her attention. In the distance, she could see a large stone with some writings on them. She couldn't really make out the most of the writings because of the distance between her and the stone, but then, when she saw what was written on the very top of the stone, which was written big enough so that even she could read it, she could've sworn that her heart had stopped. It read: _"In the memory of the victims of the Sword Art Online incident. May their names and memories not be forgotten."_

She finally realized where she was at. She was at the SAO victim's memorial; specifically, the ones who never returned from the virtual world.

It was then that everything clicked in her head. Her eyes widened in horror as her head put the pieces together: They were all gathered at the SAO memorial, with all of Asuna's family and friends gathered around, mourning, and Asuna herself wasn't around… which could only mean…

She started to head towards the memorial stone, and as she closed the distance, she was able to make out the writings that she couldn't see before. They were all names of people… the ones who had passed away in SAO.

 _'Please… please don't let it be what I think it is… I don't care if it makes sense; just please, don't let her name be on there…!'_

She stopped right in front of the memorial stone where she could see all the names that were carved onto the stone, hoping that her daughter's name wasn't on it. But after a few painful minutes, her worst fear was confirmed. There… among the countless names carved onto the stone, she saw the name that she had desperately hoped wouldn't be on there.

There was her daughter's name; the very name that she had given her, written clearly on the stone.

 _Yuuki Asuna._

"No… No…!" She collapsed on her knees and started crying again, which was again, drowned out by the other weepings of the people around her.

She didn't know how long she wept for, but when she finally looked up again, everyone around her had disappeared without a single trace. All except for her and one more person, directly in front of her. She looked up to see who it was.

Shockingly, it was Asuna. And she couldn't be any gladder to see her. But from the expression on her face, Asuna didn't seem to be sharing that feeling.

But before she could say anything, Asuna spoke words that made her feel hundreds of times worse than she already did.

"I hate you…! I HATE YOU!" Then, she slowly vanished, as if she were a ghost.

Those words, they may as well have been her death sentence.

 _'This is a nightmare…! This can't be real!'_ She thought, now feeling like she was on the edge of her sanity.

"No, Asuna, come back! Please! I'm sorry! Let me make it up to you!" She pleaded. She had never felt so desperate before. But Asuna didn't come back. She was still alone in the memorial site.

"No…! Asuna! ASUNA!" She screamed.

 **(End of nightmare)**

* * *

"NO!" She screamed as she jolted up from where she was lying down. Her whole body was soaked with cold sweat. She panted heavily; the nightmare she had experienced still had her shaken up to her very core.

However, she didn't have a chance to gather any thoughts, as her stomach clenched and she felt bile rise to her throat. Her hands quickly shot up to her mouth, barely managing to stop herself from throwing up all over the hospital bed. She quickly got to her feet to the sink in the room and threw up in it just in time. Even after she had finished, her stomach kept clenching.

As she kept on throwing up, the nurses entered the room and ran over to where she was, helping her stop her vomiting. Apparently, they had come running to her room because of her skyrocketing heart-rate.

When she was able to calm down, the nurses brought her a new set of hospital gown to change into. After she finished changing from her sweat-drenched gown, she stayed still at her bed as the nurses did further checkups on her. When they finally finished and left her, she thanked them in a hollow voice.

She sat up on her bed; her heart still racing from the horrific nightmare she had just dreamed. Was what she saw in her nightmare what would have happened had she never found out about Sugou's true nature? Was Asuna and Kouichirou's hate towards her plans really justified? Was she really the true barrier to their happiness…?

Again, she couldn't give a proper answer to this question.

She looked to the side of her bed to gather her thoughts, but then stopped when she saw what was there.

The picture that she had held onto desperately was lying there. She took it into her hands to take another look at it, but as she did, she saw something that was written on the back. She hadn't noticed that writing there before, so she flipped the picture to its back to see what was written there.

At the back of the picture, words were written in a childish scribble.

 _"Mama, Papa, Onii-chan, I love you!"_

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Looking Back on Those Days")**

She felt tears fall down from her eyes and drop onto the picture. They were words written by Asuna when she was a child… Their family bond seemed to be so strong back then… but, where was that bond now? She had meant well… she had thought that her family would understand that… but even if they did, they still despised her for it. How could she bring Asuna and Kouichirou back, the way she was…? When she had driven them away because of what was supposed to be a flawless plan for them. That plan would most certainly have made them both miserable, had it really had gone into fruition.

"I really am a horrible mother…" She grieved, finally realizing her mistakes and faced the hard and painful truth.

She regretted everything. She could only keep crying and praying for a miracle once more.

As she continued to cry for her family, the sun started to rise and started to brighten the dark night sky, as if to symbolize that there was still hope for them all.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. This chapter's goal was to make you guys feel sorry for Kyouko, after the revelations of her sad past with Asuna. Did you, or did you not feel even a bit bad for her? Let me know what you think.**

 **Also, I hope that someone has caught onto the reference to one of the chapters in SAO Progressive in this chapter. If you did, then please leave a review of what you thought about it.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed it. I'll try to upload the next chapter when I'm able to.**

 **Again, don't forget to review and follow. I'll see you guys with the next chapter.**

 **Next chapter: A Mother's Love – Part 2: Realizations.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	17. A Mother's Love - Part 2: The Letter

**A/N: Okay, I'm finally back with another chapter. This chapter is a bit special, for the fact that it will mention some real historical events and something I'm guessing that hasn't been attempted yet in an SAO fanfic.**

 **As you read this chapter, please don't hesitate to comment whether you liked what I did, or if you see something you feel is off and doesn't really fit in the story.**

 **I'll be writing the next chapter after August 9th, which is my birthday (I'm planning to hang out with my friends for that day).**

 **Now, please enjoy this chapter and tell me whether you liked it or not.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters, or the OSTs. They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-sensei, respectively!**

* * *

Chapter 17 – A Mother's Love – Part 2: The Letter.

* * *

 **April 2nd, 2026, 9 PM, Tokyo General Hospital.**

Shouzou made his way up to his wife's ward in a state of slight urgency. After arriving at the hospital, he was informed by the reception that she had woken up several hours ago. So now that she was awake, he made his way up to her, with two particular items in his hand, believing that if she saw their contents now, he may finally be able to persuade her to cease the suitor meeting, which he hoped in turn would convince Asuna to come back perminantly when Kouichirou brought her back.

When he arrived at the ward, he entered after giving a knock, not waiting for a response. When he entered, he saw that Kyouko was indeed awake and sitting on the bed.

As she saw her husband enter her ward, Kyouko stared at him with a blank and unreadable expression. He finally decided to speak up and get to the point.

"I see you're awake." He said in relief.

"You look like you want something from me." She stated blankly. This answer made him frown in response.

"Oh, is that really the first thing to say, after you scared me half to death like you did yesterday?" Shouzou asked sharply.

"Well, what else do you want me to say then? My own children hate me and want nothing to do with me… even though I meant well for them…" She answered sadly, looking like she would start crying. Her husband took a seat beside her bed.

"We both did. I bear the blame for this as well. But before anything, I have something to show you." He then handed her a newspaper that was in his hand.

"This was in today's news headline. Don't ask anything, just read it." He said.

She took the newspaper from his hands to take a look at it. Reading its contents, her eyes opened wide in disbelief. What she read was the following:

' _Heir of the Murayama Financials arrested for kidnapping and sexual assault charges._ '

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Past Sadness")**

As she read on, she grew more and more appalled. This candidate had kidnapped and confined several girls for several months! What would've happened if they had gone through with this and had that wretch meet with Asuna? She had made another mistake; another bad decision that would've ended up in Asuna's misery.

She put the newspaper down and stayed still where she was, still shocked. She had thought that nothing could possibly make her feel any worse for herself after waking up from that horrific nightmare this morning. How wrong she was…

"Before you ask, I've already cancelled the meeting with the Murayama's. I've also put all the meetings with the other families on indefinite hold. I'm planning on cancelling all of the meetings that we'd planned for both Asuna and Kouichirou. I assume that you have no argument against that?" Shouzou asked. It took her a while to respond, but she eventually nodded her head, confirming his assumption.

"Listen, I've given this a lot of thought since yesterday. Why doesn't Asuna trust us? It was because we didn't trust her in return. We need to start over and put some faith in her. That has to be the first step before anything." He said. Kyouko still stayed silent, evidently unable to form a response. Seeing this, he finally decided to get to the real point.

"If that doesn't convince you, then here, take a look at this." He said, handing her an opened envelope of a letter.

"What is this?" She asked, taking it from his hand.

"Something that I believe you need to see. I found that letter in your study, in one of the lower shelves. If I had to guess, it was given to Asuna when she was young and she put it there, hoping that you would see it, judging by where it was put at." He answered.

"A letter, for me…? But, why didn't she just give this to me directly?" She asked, confused.

"I suppose we were always out of the house working that she had to do that when she got the letter. Just take a look at it. With everything that's happened, I think that you should be able to understand what she was trying to tell us." He said.

"She?" Kyouko asked. She took a closer look at the envelope of the letter.

 _To Kyouko and Shouzou._

That was what was written on the envelope. But then, she gasped as she recognized the handwriting.

'Mother…?' Kyouko thought as she opened the envelope and took out the letter inside. The letter was several pages long. She started reading the letter written by her mother.

* * *

 _To my beloved daughter Kyouko and son-in-law Shouzou._

 _By the time you read this letter, your father and I may no longer be in this world…_

 _There were a lot of things that we had wanted to tell you about for a long time, but we could never find the appropriate time to discuss it, with you always keeping yourself busy._

 _Eversince you were born, you've been our treasure, and that fact will never change. And I know that you and Shouzou feel the same way for Kouichirou and Asuna. So, that's why I hope that you take some of your time to read this letter to the end._

 _Please don't take my words as nagging or scolding, but as advices, as well as reminders of what being a family is about._

 _Let's start from the beginning… starting from myself._

 _I was born in 1950, in a region not far from the now South Korea's capital, Seoul._

 _Not long after I was born, the Korean War broke out in the country. And not long after, the village my family resided in was raided by the Communist forces, killing many of its inhabitants. My parents barely managed to escape the village with their lives with me, but not before witnessing the deaths of many of their friends and neighbors at their hands._

 _Reduced to refugees with no place to call home, my parents and other refugees hid out in the mountains to get away from the war. However, soon it became clear that the war was spreading throughout the entire nation like widefire. More and more soldiers from both sides began to show up on the mountains we hid at, and it soon became another battlefield with us caught in the crossfire again. Again, my parents and only a few surviving others barely managed to escape with their lives._

 _And if that wasn't enough, after they escaped, when they approached the South Korean soldiers, thinking that they would be able to help them get to safety, they were arrested instead, believing that they were North Korean spies disguised as refugees. So they were forced to flee from them, once again losing many of their fellow refugees in the process._

 _Realizing that it was no longer safe anywhere in the Korean Peninsula with the war going on, and neither side could be trusted, my parents and the few remaining refugees decided to find a way to flee the country, for our safety._

 _And with the help of the American forces that arrived to help fight against the Communists, they were able to leave the country and arrive in Tokyo, which was at the time, occupied by the American forces after Japan's surrender in the Second World War._

 _I was too young to remember any of this, however, and I had lived in Japan for as long as I could remember._

 _And, although my parents and their few remaining friends escaped the clutches of war, our troubles were far from over._

 _Living in the nation that they were unfamiliar with was a difficult task, but they judged that it was far better than constantly living their lives in fear in death's shadow._

 _Not only that, because of our refugee status, as well as the prejudice we faced from the majority of the Japanese population, we had to live in a life of poverty, with little means of food or resources. Even with the jobs they earned with difficulty we were struggling to survive. But even so, I was happy because I had a place to call home with my family._

 _The Korean War would last until 1953, and my parents had debated whether they should attempt to return when the war was over, but when it actually ended, the nation had been divided into two. So no one would be able to tell if another war would break out or not. So for our safety, they decided to remain in Japan. And even if they had decided to return, by that time, the American occupation of Japan had ended, and they also couldn't afford the ride back to their homeland._

 _At the time, my only source of comfort and strength were my parents and their friends. After all, they were all that I had at the time._

 _But eventually, the poor life conditions we faced began to take their toll on them. My parents and the others fell ill, and we couldn't afford the hospital fee either, since we had no valid citizenship. And although we pleaded with the hospitals to treat us, rejection was our only answer. So I could do nothing but watch as their conditions got worse and worse. And by the time I was seven, they had all passed away from their illnesses._

 _With no where left to go and with no other options, I had to resort to pickpocketing and stealing from various places in order to survive. And at the time, I felt no remorse about stealing from them. As far as I was concerned, they were all the same; the same selfish lot that had left my family for dead, just because they couldn't profit from helping them._

 _This solitary life on the streets continued for about 2 years, until one day, when I attempted to pickpocket from a couple who seemed to be in their 30s in the market, but was caught in the process. I tried to run away, but was caught in the end. Even when I was caught, I struggled to get away from them, not knowing what they were planning to do with me. When I did face them, I was prepared to see angry faces yell at me. But instead, I was surprised to see them with calm expressions that you wouldn't expect from people who had just been robbed. But this only frightened me further._

 _They then asked why I had stolen from them; their voices as calm as their expressions. So I answered, because it was my only choice in order to survive. And as if my previous surprise wasn't enough, their expression turned to that of a sad one at hearing my response._

 _Confused and scared, I gave them the things I had stolen from them and told them to leave me alone. Running away from them, I was half expecting them to chase after me again, but they didn't. I just couldn't understand why they were looking so sad. Even now, their expressions still haunt me._

 _I thought that I had seen the last of them that day, but I ran into them again a few days later, apparently looking for me. Thinking that they were going to hand me over to the police, I kept running from them._

 _This process repeated several times for the next few weeks. Tired of being chased down, I finally decided to confront them. I asked them why they wanted to catch me so badly. But in response, they told me that they weren't planning to turn me over to the police. Of course, I was reluctant to trust them at first. But then, they gave me their address and invited me over to dinner at their home, surprising me even further. I still couldn't trust them and hesitated to accept their seemingly generous offer. But I hadn't eaten anything for days, so it was an offer that I couldn't resist. So ultimately, I agreed and went to their home._

 _The place the couple called home was a relatively small house with nothing to boast about. But to me, who had lived in the slums and the streets, it looked like a haven._

 _They gave me a change of clothes that was just about my size and told me to get changed after taking a shower._

 _Afterwards, coming down to their kitchen, I saw that they had prepared all sorts of food that I could only dream of eating when living out in the streets. Although they said that the food they made were nothing special, but to me at the time, it was the best food I had ever eaten._

 _After eating to my heart's content, I decided to ask the question that had been plaguing me since our first encounter: Why they were so fixated on me, a street kid with nothing to give. To this, they answered that they had already seen me several times in the market and the streets, stealing and begging for leftovers. Again, I was puzzled beyond belief. If they had already witnessed me stealing multiple times, then why had they not tried to catch me sooner, and now that they did get a hold of me, then why were they not turning me into the police?_

 _When I asked those questions, they assured me that they had no intention of handing me over to the police. And as for my first question, they only answered that it was because of old memories and then, the woman looked like she was about to cry._

 _Baffled, I tried to ask more, but her husband gently raised his hand, silently asking me to not ask any further. The lady, who seemed like she barely managed so stop herself from crying, asked me to come back the next day, at the same time for another meal at their place. Before I even noticed, I had accepted their offer._

 _When I was going to change back to my old clothes before leaving, the couple asked me to keep the clothing; that it would do no one any good to keep clothes that they had no need for._

 _I was at a loss for words at this point. The couple that I barely knew was showing such kindness to the one who had attempted to steal from them._

 _I could barely sleep that night. Not from starvation this time, but from countless questions. Try as I might, I couldn't think of a reason why the couple would take an interest in me; and to give me something far more generous than what I could have ever expected; something I hadn't felt eversince the death of my family: care._

 _So, wanting to find out the answers to my question, I decided to return to their home the next day, wearing the same clothes that they had given to me the day before._

 _This time around, they seemed to be in a more cheerful mood than the previous day. As we ate, they attempted to start up casual conversations. I tried my best to keep that going without getting awkward, but the lingering questions in my mind as well as being in solitude for a long time made that a difficult task. But in the end, I don't know how, but I believe that I managed to get the conversation going without breaking the flow._

 _After we were finished, I hesitated in trying to ask them the question again, after seeing the reaction the lady had given the last time I asked. But then, as if they knew what I was thinking, they finally told me the answer._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "At Our Parting – Piano only Version")**

 _They started telling me more of themselves; of a story that I could tell was painful to recall for them; not long after the end of the Second World War, the couple had gotten married and soon had a daughter together. But she was very frail from birth; and they had to have her go through treatments to keep her alive. But in the end, she passed away not long after she turned 7. I was shocked. She was around my age when she died. After hearing about their loss, I felt guilty for the first time in my life._

 _We had both lost people precious to us, so we understood each other._

 _After they revealed their painful past to me, I started to visit them more frequently, and try to ease their pain. This new routine in my life continued for a while. And after discovering more and more about them, I found myself feeling happy in a long time. It had been so long since I had let others get so close in my heart eversince I lost my family._

 _Then, few months after I started coming over to visit the couple, they gave me an offer that would change my life. After giving much thought, they had decided, since I had no where in particular to call home and they both wanted to get over the grief of their daughter's death for good, they proposed that I come live with them for good._

 _I was stunned once again. They had already given me fare more than what I could've ever imagined, and now they were able to surprise me yet again._

 _Although I was a bit hesitant at first, because this was such a life changing decision for me at the time, but in the end, after some discussions with them, I decided to accept their offer. We both new the pain of losing a family, so we could be there for each other, and during the time I visited them, I had found myself caring for them and wanting to help them without realizing it._

 _And so, that was how I met my foster parents. Thanks to their kindness, I was able to find a new life; as well as find a new place to call home. And so, with this new life I discovered with my foster parents, I decided to leave my life on the streets behind me._

 _And although I haven't, by any means forgotten about my birth parents, I decided to live on for their sakes, instead of living in the shadow of their deaths; to live my life to the fullest._

 _A few days later, I was legally adopted into my new found family. And soon after, I was able to go to school, which was a dream come true for me at the time. Had I continued my life on the streets, it wouldn't have been possible. Although I had to hide my true heritage from my classmates at the time, as well as the fact that I was adopted, I was still happier than I had ever been. As time went, I was able to make friends and study like normal children._

 _This tranquil life continued for the rest of my time as an elementary student. It wasn't until I became a middle school student that my life changed once again. It was then that I first met your father._

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, that's it for this chapter. It may be a bit of a sudden cut, but if I'd included the whole letter in this one chapter, it would've taken too long, and I think I've kept you waiting long enough. I hope you guys enjoyed. This was a tough chapter to write, with having to do some research in to the historical aspect of this chapter. And I hope that the letter part also made sense to you all. I can't tell you how many changes I had to make to the letter to make its contents seem sensible. The rest of the letter will be continued in the next chapter.**

 **As for the reason for having Kyouko's mother being a Korean whose family fled the country because of the Korean War, I felt kind of compelled to have another Korean character in the story, after all, Kawahara-sensei did have Siune (An Si-Un) to be a Korean decendent.**

 **Also, how was the letter written so far? Were you able to understand it well? Was there anything to criticize about it? Let me know in the description.**

 **I'll start working on chapter 18 soon. Please look forward to it.**

 **As always, please leave a comment and PM to let me know what you think.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


	18. A Mother's Love - Part 3: Realization

**A/N: Okay, after 3 months of rewriting and revising this chapter so many times that I've lost count, I'm finally back. I think you'll see why it took me 3 months to write this one out when you read it. But I hope its length and content compensates for the time it took me to write.**

 **This chapter will pick up directly where the last chapter left off. Now, please enjoy and tell me what you think on the review.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, its characters, or the OSTs. They belong to Kawahara Reki-sensei and Kajiura Yuki-sensei, respectively! Oh, and one of the OST's used in this chapter belong to Takanashi Yasuharu!**

* * *

Chapter 18 – A Mother's Love – Part 3: Realization.

* * *

 _It was then that I first met your father. I still remember it like it was yesterday._

 _One day, not long after becoming a middle school student, when I was heading home after class, I saw a boy around my age lying down on the grass, looking up at the sky blankly. He was one of my classmates; someone who sat on the back and the more quiet type. He didn't seem to have too many friends, and it was kind of a rare sight to see him around with people._

 _I knew pretty much everyone in my class, but he was someone who I didn't know too much about. So, wanting to know more about him, I approached him._

 _He seemed to only notice my presence when I asked him what he was doing. I sat down next to him and looked up at the sky as well. After a short silence, the boy answered that I didn't need to know._

 _I was slightly annoyed at his response, but I decided to press on. I told him that I was close to practically everyone in the class, may they be a boy or a girl, and so I told him that I wanted to know about him as well; to be friends if possible._

 _After another few seconds of silence, he told me that today was his birthday. That answer had me a bit baffled. It was his birthday, so why wasn't he celebrating with his friends or family? Then, as if he knew what I was thinking, he answered that unlike most people, he didn't really have a reason to celebrate his birthday._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "You Are Not Alone – Ac.G version." Can be found in the SAO Music Collection)**

 _At this, I was about to ask why that was so, but I barely managed to stop myself from doing it. I didn't even know him all that well, after all, and although that was exactly the reason that I had approached him in the first place, I realized that interrogating him like this wouldn't get me anywhere; it was far too personal._

 _But then, as if he read my mind again, gave a small chuckle and said that it was alright and he didn't really mind. The reason was because three years ago on his birthday, his mother had left him and his father and went somewhere far away. I thought that he meant that she had abandoned her family and just left. So I asked, slightly apprehensively of where she had gone to. The answer I got was that it was somewhere that she couldn't come back from. Then, he pointed up towards the sky. As I did, I realized what he meant. I sat where I was, dumbstruck. As I was about to apologize, he said that it was alright, and that he was actually glad I had asked. He told me that she had been fighting an illness she had contracted years ago, until it finally ended with her loss on his birthday._

 _I was stunned. As someone who knew of such losses, I understood him immediately. What was more, he had lost his mother on his birthday… No wonder he didn't like to celebrate his own birthday. It was also the same day his mother had passed away._

 _Apparently, what he had told me was something that not even too many of his friends knew about. Since he had opened up to me so easily, I wanted to become his friend. So, after introducing ourselves like that, we started to get to know each other. At the time, I didn't have any romantic feeling for him. I just thought of him as a friend._

 _But as our life in middle school continued, we began to see each other more often. When it came to studying, I was one of the top in my class. And as for your father, he definitely could use some help when it came to studying. So, I don't know how it happened, but your father and I had become close study mates. When we began our third year in middle school, we were seen together quite often that our classmates and friends teased us of being a couple; to which we adamantly denied at the time._

 _This harmonious life would change again when we became high school students. Even when we became high school students, our relationship remained the same; at least for me. I was content with having him as my closest friend at the time; I wanted nothing more. Even my foster parents knew him well as it was kind of a common sight for the two of us to come to my home to study together, and he was practically a welcomed guest there._

 _But then, a few months after your father and I became high school students, some changes began to occur. One of them was the appearance of a girl named Kisaki who seemed to know your father well, and tried to get close to him. But I could see that your father was uncomfortable, repulsed even whenever she tried to get close to him._

 _I later learned from your father that her family and his were currently business partners, and that his family ran one of the most prosperous food companies at the time._

 _I was surprised when your father revealed this to me. He may have been to my home numerous times, but for some reason, he had always tried to avoid inviting me over to his place. I also didn't even know that he was the son of the president of such a well known company until then, and apparently, I was the first one among his friends to even know this fact. I couldn't understand why he had kept something like this hidden. But apparently he had done so that he wanted to be true friends, not ones bought from money._

 _And also, he revealed that eversince the death of his mother, his relationship with his father had soured. At first, they sympathized each other, but as time passed, his father began to focus more and more on work, leaving him to be alone most of the time. As a polite but shy child, he didn't say anything immediately, but as time passed, as he got busier with company work, he seemingly started to care less and less for him. In fact, if anything, he seemed to becoming more and more forceful towards him, like putting more pressure on him to study more, forbidding him from playing with friends, as well as not letting him invite them to their house, as well as not allowing him to do gardening and growing plants, which was your father's favorite hobby._

 _At first your father tried to understand him; tried convincing himself that he was just having a hard time getting over his mother's death, but as the curfews continued, he grew more and more bitter towards him._

 _After listening to his explanation, I could understand why he had kept that fact hidden. I had briefly met his father once during our last year in middle school. We were heading home together when we ran into his father on the way. Although he introduced me to him, he didn't seem to be particularly pleased with me. If I had to guess, based on what your father had told me about him earlier, it was because I was hanging around him._

 _As a former street urchin, looks of disgust and reproach was something that I had experience in. Although, receiving such looks when I wasn't living on the streets anymore, as well as having no reason to be looked at like that, I felt offended. As your father left with him, he had said goodbye to me with a slightly apologetic look, and the next day, he apologized if his father had offended me. I told him that he didn't have to apologize._

 _Besides, I had found a reason to like him even more. Like me, he desired true companionship, not ones bought by petty money. Besides, I too had a secret that I hadn't told him or any of my classmates at the time; my Korean ancestry. I thought about revealing it to him, but decided not to._

 _Being a Korean in Japan at the time was not an easy thing. At the time many of the Japanese didn't accept the Koreans as one of them and saw them as inferiors; a sentiment that stemmed from Japan's imperial days when they invaded and colonized Korea starting from 1910 until the end of the Second World War._

 _I too was afraid that I would lose the friends I had made including your father if this secret was revealed; a secret that only my foster family knew at the time._

 **(A/N: It's kind of similar to the white supremecist's treatment towards the black's in America, or the British treatment towards the Indians and the Native Americans back in the day, or if you want to get extreme, the Nazi's treatment towards the Jews. An unfortunate part of humanity called racism that happens all around the world…)**

 _And so, even after revealing his family, I still remained a close friend to him._

 _But soon it became clear that Kisaki had no intention of giving up on your father. Not long after your father revealed his background to me, she approached me after school and told me to stay away from him and that he was hers._

 _Even before your father explained about his family and hers, I already didn't like the girl anyway as she had a tendency to look down on others, especially to people who she thought had low social status and judging from your father's reactions whenever she was mentioned, I deduced that he shared my judgment. So I refused to do as she said, and that I had been beside your father longer than she had; that I was his friend for a longer time. She looked furious at my defiance, but I didn't give her a chance to respond. My answer was final, so I left the scene, not bothering to listen to what she had to say._

 _But a few months later, things started to take a nasty turn._

 _My family had run a small but profitable farmer's market and most of its products came from my parent's relatives who owned a farm in Miyagi. I too helped in the market regularly and earned quite bit of allowance, and your father helped too from time to time. I also learned not too long ago that your father's company was a frequent customer of our market, which was the main reason that it was doing well, despite its size. They used our goods to make many of their products._

 _But a few months later my encounter with Kisaki, bad things started to happen around our market. It started from prank calls and letters, but as time went by, things started to get aggressive, as it escalated to someone throwing a rock into our store, breaking the windows in the process, thefts, and damage to our products._

 _The events had me and our family worried, as we just couldn't see who was responsible._

 _But surprisingly, a few weeks after the incidents around my family's store began, Kisaki called me out to the back of the school after class, revealing that she was the one behind the incidents in the store. I was shocked and angry when I heard this, but before I could say anything else, she continued, proceeding to revealing a secret that I had hoped no one would find out._

 _Somehow, Kisaki had found out about my adoption, as well as the fact that I was Korean. It was apparent that using her family's influence and money, she had done a thorough investigation on me._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "A Squabble")**

 _She threatened that if I don't stay away from your father, not only would more 'disasters' come to our store, the whole school would know of my origin; the very thing that I feared the most at the time. I was frozen in place where I was standing. I remember myself shaking in fear, recalling the days I had spent as a street urchin, with the reproachful and disgusted looks being directed to me for merely existing. I couldn't stand being looked at like that again, all alone, rejected, with everyone turning their backs on me simply because of that one little fact._

 _I had been driven into a corner, lost on what I should do. But then, I heard a familiar voice asking what he had just heard. Both of us turned around and were surprised to see your father come into view around the corner, looking livid. Maybe it was because of my fear, but I thought that his anger was being directed towards me. As I saw him approach us, I braced myself for the worst._

 _He then started saying that he thought that I had been looking upset for the past few weeks, but now he could see why: it was because of the things Kisaki had been doing to our store. He then continued to ask if the currently unfolding scene was the thing that she had wanted to show him; was this scene what she had meant by 'show him her true identity' all this time?_

 _As I processed his words, I started to realize that those words were not being directed towards me, but to Kisaki. I finally looked up to see your father facing Kisaki, no doubt glaring daggers at her, judging by his voice._

 _He then continued by telling Kisaki if she had thought that doing something like this would please him, then she had made a big mistake. He said that he had already known that I was a Korean descendent for a while now, which surprised us both very much. He was very angry that she had tried to use this information to blackmail me._

 _He said that he was disappointed in her and that no matter what happens, he and I were friends. And he finished off by saying that if she does something like this again to me or anyone else, he'd never forgive her. He then took my hand and led me away from the school grounds._

 _When we were finally reached a point where the school was no longer in sight, he finally let go of my hands. I finally collapsed onto my knees, as my legs had been trembling this whole time. When your father then asked whether I was alright, I asked him with a shaking voice since when he had known. He answered that my parents had revealed everything to him in one of his visits to my home. We'd known each other for a long time and were always beside each other, so they felt like they could trust him. Although he was surprised to hear that I was adopted and how my real family ended up coming to Japan, he didn't feel any differently about me, in fact, he was sorry that I had to endure such a burden alone. Plus, my parents had asked him to keep this quiet and let me reveal it to him when I felt like I was ready, so he hadn't told anyone about it and had waited until I had mustered the courage to tell him._

 _I couldn't hold back anymore. I was so relieved and grateful. I could do nothing but cry pathetically in front of him. He knelt down and told me not to worry; that whatever happened, he would help me in any way possible, after all, I did help him get through school work. I remember just choking and hiccupping in response._

 _He also said that in light of what Kisaki had done to me, she could no longer be trusted and that he would talk to his father about her actions and warn him to be wary of the Kisaki's. He would also make certain that Kisaki wouldn't be able to reveal my heritage._

 _After that day, I found myself thinking more and more about your father. We would meet each other more often and we couldn't really hide it, so our classmate's teasing of us being a couple got worse, although, neither of us could really deny it anymore._

 _So, not long after, your father officially asked me out, and needless to say, I was ecstatic and so were many of our friends, but to the obvious displeasure of Kisaki. I didn't know what your father had said to keep Kisaki on a leash, but she had given us no trouble even after us becoming a couple had become official. The bad things that had been happening to our market had also ceased. While I was happy that Kisaki had stopped bothering us, I was on edge because she had backed off so easily. What was more, although your father had warned his father about Kisaki, he had just dismissed it, saying that she probably had a good reason to do so. Although your father tried to push the subject, the only response he got was shouts that he was just a kid who didn't know anything and to just do as he was told. And if that wasn't enough, your grandfather had also said that he disapproved of his relationship with me; that I was unfit to be the wife of the heir of his company._

 _I knew your father long enough to know that he didn't want to inherit the company; that he wanted to live a more free life. But he had always been pressured to marry someone he chose for him. And knowing their already strained relationship, I could tell that your father had no intention of listening to his words. We continued to see each other as if nothing was happening. So eventually, I ceased worrying about it and just decided to continue to enjoy our lives in high school. I continued to achieve superb grades in school, and your father needed my help from time to time regarding schoolwork. And so, we continued to be inseperable during high school, much to the dislike of Kisaki, and your paternal grandfather to some degree._

 _Our lives in high school continued without much excitement for the next two years, except for a few slanderings Kisaki had attempted with me as her primary target. But thanks to not just your father, but some of our friends who also disliked Kisaki, she was never very successful._

 _It was only a few days after our high school graduation that a huge incident happened to us._

 _At the time, my parents and I were invited by your father to a banquet run by his family's company. I would have gladly accepted it, had it not been for the fact that Kisaki and her family would be attending the banquet as well, as honored guests. But I ultimately decided to accept, for I didn't want to miss out on spending time with your father just because of a mere nuisance._

 _When we were at the party, and your father and I were starting to enjoy ourselves, an announcement was made by the host of the party, your grandfather, with with the man that was Momoki's father. We could already tell that it was something big. But what came next shocked us both to the core. He declared your father and Kisaki Momoki to be engaged._

 _I couldn't ignore the feeling of instant disgust at the idea, and it was more so because it was Kisaki of all people. When I finally recovered enough to look at your father, he also had a thunderstruck look on his face. It was clear that he was never told in advance about this. But it didn't stop there._

 _Momoki took the mic and said to everyone that she had caught a family of thieves in action. And as if on cue, the security guards who were in the banquet took hold of me and my parents, much to our shock and confusion, asking us to hand over our belongings for inspection. Your father looked just as confused as everyone. But as the guards started to go through our belongings, things that we most certainly didn't belong to us started to come out, such as valuable looking accessories and money that we had never brought._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Left in Suspense")**

 _We were perplexed. We could suddenly feel the accusationary stares of every single person being directed towards us. It was a very unpleasant situation indeed. We had been framed as thieves in a matter of seconds. We were thrown out of the banquet, with all kinds of insulting words directed towards us. Your father was the only person who didn't believe us to be thieves. He was sure that Kisaki had something to do with this. Thanks to your father though, no police were involved in this nasty incident. But the backlash from this event was massive._

 _Because the banquet was such a public event, what had happened there didn't take long to spread. Believing Kisaki's words, our family was accused and criticized for the incident, and the sales in our market took a crippling blow. We tried our best to prove our innocence to no avail. What was worse, was that some of the friends I had known believed Kisaki's words and readily joined the others, mainly the Kisaki's and your grandfather in actively criticizing us, effectively deterioriating our relationship. Only your father and a few others believed our innocence. While we were trying to fix this problem, your father was investigating on his own to find evidence of our innocence._

 _And if that wasn't bad enough, thugs were now openly harassing our store, scaring away what remained of our customers. We tried our best to fix the damage, but with our reputation now in the dirt, the store ultimately closed down and we had to move away. We would go to Miyagi where the rest of my family's relatives lived._

 _But then, a few days before we left Tokyo, your father visited us. He had found out that we would be leaving Tokyo not too long ago and was not happy about it at all. But he had come with shocking news: he had run away from home. It was no secret to my family that your father's relationship with his father was very strained. But this whole framing incident, as well as the fact he was engaged without his knowledge had apparently put a huge rift between them._

 _When we invited him inside, he started to explain what had happened. Immediately after we were thrown out of the banquet, he went to Momoki and demanded to know what she had done to frame us like she did. The response was an infuriating smirk. She only said mockingly that it was just as she had said: she just had seen a family of thieves taking what's not theirs, so she had kicked them out._

 _Deciding not to waste anymore time on her, he had decided to talk to his father alone regarding the matter, but it did little good. He tried to convince him that we weren't thieves and that Kisaki had framed us, but your grandfather, who trusted the Kisaki's didn't listen. In fact, he was shocked to discover that his father had been looking for ways to get rid of me eversince becoming close with the Kisaki's. He had disapproved the fact that we were always together, probably because of my background, but had only tolerated me because of the fact that I had been a great tutor for your father during his studies. Although he originally planned to have private tutors do the lessons in my place, your father had managed to dissuade him for the time being from the fact that I had asked no charge for our time studying together. But with this whole engagement, as well as the fact we had been declared as thieves, it was clear that he wanted to get me away from your father for good._

 _Speaking of the engagement, he had demanded an explanation from his father. As I had expected, the engagement was unexpected, and undesired in your father's shoes. And so, an argument broke out between the two, not even noticing that everyone could hear the argument._

 _Furious that their discussion was going nowhere, your father left home to start investigating on his own, despite his father's yelling._

 _After a few weeks, with not much progress, as Kisaki had covered her tracks well, he finally decided to confront her once again, but this time, he had a plan of his own. After some discussion requiring some patience, he was finally able to make her admit that she had indeed framed us as the thieves by having the real thieves secretly fill our bags with the items they had stolen. He had secretly taped the whole conversation and it could now be used as evidence against her. She had realized one step too late that he had been recording their conversation, and tried to stop him, but he managed to get away from her pursuit._

 _Then he headed home to see his father and tell him that Kisaki was behind this whole incident to discredit us and that we were framed by her. But your grandfather didn't even try to listen. He never even listened to the tapes, saying that it wasn't even worth listening to, much to his shock and disappointment at his indifference. What was more, your grandfather had already had an idea of what Kisaki had been doing but did nothing to stop it; specifically because they shared a common interest of having me break up with your father. He hadn't cared what method she used, as long as she was successful in separating me from your father so that they could commence with his engagement with Kisaki._

 _Your father was outraged to hear this. He resisted fiercely and refused to accept the engagement, sparking an unpleasant quarrel which quickly escalated into insults being thrown at each other. He had shown no remorse of what he had indirectly done to us and only continued to support the Kisaki's for the sake of his business. That was the last straw, as your father declared that he had enough and that he was leaving. The moment he leaves the house, they would be strangers. And so, he left home without looking back._

 _That was why he was there; because he had run away from home. I was stunned and so were my parents. Although I had suspected it, it was no less surprising: Kisaki Momoki had hired people to steal from the guests and put their belongings with ours; a deliberate setup. We were frozen in disbelief at this information. Your father also discovered this fact only today, and thanks to that, his relationship with his father took a turn for the absolute worst._

 _I felt guilty. It was no secret that your father and grandfather had a strained relationship, and I felt that because of me, it had been broken for good. And my parents seemed to have similar thoughts. But he insisted that he should be the one to be sorry it was because of him that our market went into ruins in the first place. Besides, he had wanted to leave a long time ago and that he had only restrained himself for the sake of his late mother. So we both accepted each other's apologies, and began to think of what to do from now on._

 _But frankly to us, business going sour was nothing compared what we had already been though. Our store may have gone out of business but we could start over if we wanted to and had the means to do so. We weren't rich but we certainly weren't poor. Moreover, we had each other and to me that was worth everything._

 _Now that your father had run away from home, he didn't really have anywhere to go, so we invited him to stay with us. And expectedly, he said that he couldn't do that as he had burdened us enough already and didn't want to add to them. He had saved up quite a bit of money from working for us and elsewhere, so he would be staying somewhere else by finding a rental room to live in. We couldn't let him do that, and we insisted that he stay and come to Miyagi with us. We then explained that we had planned to move to Miyagi after my graduation from high school anyway and if he wanted to get away from his father, he would have a better chance of doing so if he was out of Tokyo._

 _And so, although we were leaving on bad terms, now that your father was with me, I found myself being able to smile through it all._

 _A few days later we moved away from Tokyo. Actually, my parents went to Miyagi ahead of time but we decided to take a few days to ourselves. We went to Fukushima to relax together for a few days before going to Miyagi. But we would learn much later that this little trip together would become the trigger for a series of heartbreaking events._

 _When we started our new life in Miyagi together, we started to work together in the farm and after a few years of hard work, we were able to buy a new house for ourselves in the mountain area. Yes… I mean our house; the one where you were born and raised in._

 _Shortly after our house was purchased, your father finally proposed, to my joy. So a few months later, we got married, and eventually had you a few years later. And so we had this new life together for nearly twenty years. And during those times, your father and grandfather didn't speak, or meet with each other at all. I had mixed feelings about this; while I was glad that no one was coming between us and your father anymore, I still felt guilty about not getting the approval from your grandfather about our marriage. But at the same time, discussing about it was out of the question, given your father's sensitivity when it came to his father. Whenever we saw you growing up, I wondered deep inside, whether your father was thinking about your grandfather; whether he even knew that your father and I were married now and had a daughter together, or whether he even cared anymore._

 _But we would find the answer to that question with time, as another set of events started to be set in motion._

 _Do you remember the event that happened when you were in your last year in high school, and you were preparing for your university entrance exam? It had happened about a month before you had to go Tokyo to take your exam. A thief had broken into our house when it had gotten dark and ransacked our house._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Continuing Suspense")**

 _Both of us were out of the house while you had gone to bed early. But as you had testified, you woke up hearing some strange noises, so you went to investigate, only for you to confront the thief, who then proceeded to attack you. Then as if on cue, we had arrived back home only to hear the struggle between you and the thief taking place in the house. We both dashed upstairs to see what was going on and saw you trapped in the thief's grasp, struggling to free yourself. Your father recovered from the shock first and quickly went to your aid and tried to subdue the intruder, but he failed and the thief managed to escape the house._

 _After the thief got away, we had immediately called the police to have them investigate what had happened. But judging from the mess that he had made, we knew that he had taken a few things. But surprisingly, no money or anything valuable had been touched. All except a few things: some of the cassette tapes, not including the one your father had held onto as evidence against Kisaki's blackmailing had disappeared. So we deduced that the thief's main objective were the tapes._

 _The only people who knew of the tape's existence were most likely just us and probably people working for the Kisaki's. And frankly, since Kisaki or your grandfather hadn't bothered us for the last 20 years, we hadn't touched the tapes for a long time either. But if the tapes were most likely in their hands, there was no telling what they would do. So, we went to the police station to explain the situation to them and we were informed of a surprising fact: the company that was owned by Kisaki had gone bankrupt for years now and the Kisaki's except for Momoki had been arrested for numerous fraud charges._

 _And another thing was that one of their charges was fraud and document forgery in an attempt to take over your grandfather's company. And after a lengthy legal battle, the company managed stay in your grandfather's hands, but he soon stepped down from his position of president._

 _And although Momoki had been brought in for her own crimes, she managed to evade capture and was currently wanted by the police. And after going incognito, and possibly receiving a plastic surgery, the police believed that she had been frauding and scamming all over the country even uptil now, but were never able to catch her. But thanks to this incident, they said that they may be able to catch her this time._

 _After coming back from the police station, we discussed what we should do. Thinking that Kisaki may be onto us, we couldn't risk staying at our home until the situation had settled down. And after the break in, we thought that you wouldn't be able to concentrate in the house anyway, and you were very serious about the entrance exam as well. Besides, it wasn't like we could tell you that you could be in danger like that, not when you were preparing for something that you deemed so important. So, we decided that you should go to Tokyo when you were able to find a place to stay until the exam was over and you were excited to hear this. So a few days later, after the arrangements were made, you went to Tokyo._

 _Now that you were sent away and out of potential harm's way, we started to think about what we should do about the break in and the tapes. We stayed at one of our neighbor's home for a few weeks until the police investigation was over. They had offered to let us stay with them, so it was hard to turn their offer down because they were farmers and a friend of ours as well and so their house was relatively close to the farm too._

 _A few days after you had gone, the news of the break in had spread throughout the town. But soon after, several of our friends that lived in town told us of a rather troubling information: A suspicious looking man wearing a mask was asking around and gathering information about the swindling that was suspected to have been done by Kisaki in and nearby Miyagi quite recently. But what particularly alarmed us was that the man was also seemed to be investigating about us, as well as about the break in at our house. We thought that something serious was about to happen, so for the time being, we decided to lay low. Our friends and we would come back immediately after coming back from our work on the farm, as well as refrain from going outside unless it was absolutely necessary, and be certain to lock up all the doors and windows thoroughly._

 _A few weeks after that, your father and I were on our way back after working. We were walking down a darkened street with a few streetlamps shining down the road with nothing but rice paddies in the vicinity. Our friends had already went back home before us. It was a cold evening for winter was fast approaching. As we were walking back to our house, your father noticed that someone was following us. Thinking that it may be the thief that had ransacked our home, we thought about running away to call the police. Just as we were about to however, the tailer suddenly called out to us, using our names. But when he did, your father had suddenly stopped in his tracks. When I turned to him to ask what was wrong, I saw his face containing a combination of confusion, bewilderment, fury, and other emotions. He slowly turned around to see an old man with a mask covering his mouth. It was obvious that your father had recognized the stalker's voice. He then approached the old man who had tailed then called out to us and demanded him to take his mask off. And when he did, I was surprised to see that it was your paternal grandfather._

 _After recovering from our, or rather, my initial shock, we observed his state. And even though your father and I hadn't seen him for twenty years, we could both tell that time had not been kind to him. The man who stood before us was a stark contrast from the proud and well-dressed business man that I remembered. His hair had definitely whitened and face wrinkled from age, but something told us that it wasn't just age alone that contributed to his looks. His clothings were also not ones that I would have ever seen him wear. Instead of a high quality looking business attire, he was wearing rather casual clothes, but they looked a bit old._

 _After we finished observing your grandfather, your father finally recovered from the shock long enough to ask what he was doing here. I could already tell where this was going; his voice was laced with cold fury. Your grandfather hesitated to answer. As I approached where the two of them were, I saw my father-in-law's eyes; although he most likely didn't see me as his daughter-in-law, given our past together. As I read his eyes though, I saw that his eyes didn't contain anger or resentment but rather, they looked sad._

 _After a few moment of silence, he finally asked how the two of us had been. At this your father retorted coldly that he should know the answer, given what kind of position he had maintained for all this time. At this, he tried to explain to us what had happened to him to both of us but your father cut in, saying that he didn't need to explain and that we already knew everything, about what had happened to the Kisaki's; that they had attempted to fabricate evidence against him and to take over his company a few years after we had ran away, but after years of legally fighting and gathering evidence against them in the court, he had finally taken his company back. Sighing, he confirmed that what he had said about the Kisaki's was true._

 _At this, your father asked again coldly what he was doing here. At this, he finally answered that he had just wanted to see us. They hadn't seen each other for nearly 20 years because of their argument over the Kisaki's, and he admitted that your father was right all this time about the Kisaki's and that he should've listened to him when he had the chance. And he also wanted to apologize to me as well, for all the misunderstandings and harassments he and the Kisaki's had inflicted upon me and my family. While I was glad to hear that after all this time, his misunderstanding had been resolved, a question arose in my mind. Judging from what he was saying, it appeared that he had discovered the truth a long time ago, although I couldn't tell exactly when he had discovered the truth. If I had to guess, it would have had to be not long after the Kisaki's had started their attempts to take over the company, and that would have meant a few years after your father had left home. So if he really had known about this all those years ago, then why hadn't he tried to reach out to us sooner?_

 _Then, your father voiced out exactly what I was thinking, although with a lot more anger in his voice. He had known the truth for nearly 17 or 18 years, and yet he had never once come looking for them, so why had he come now, after all this time, he asked. As your grandfather was about to answer, your father cut him off._

 _I had expected that in the event that your father and grandfather had met together, it wouldn't be easy for them to mend their relationship, especially now that it had been nearly 2 decades since they last saw or even contacted each other. And I was sure that this was one of the reasons that contributed to your father's oversensitivity when it came to his father, and in a not very good way._

 _He said that if he had thought that he would believe that he had come now just to see his face and apologize, he was gravely mistaken. He found it difficult to believe that the business man who cared and trusted nothing but his own self-esteem so much that he didn't trust his own son's warning and kept listening to the words of liars and swindlers, who would eventually shake up the company's very foundation._

 _At this, your grandfather again replied that he couldn't argue against that, but again, your father didn't allow him to finish his sentence. But what your father said next after cutting his father off a second time also caught me completely off guard._

 _He said that he would stop beating around the bush and get right to the point: was he the one that had sent the thief that had broken into our house._

 _Obviously he hadn't been expecting his son to ask that question, and honestly, neither was I. I was just as flabberghasted as he was at your father's accusation. After recovering, I asked him what he was talking about._

 _Your father then told me to think about this whole situation: a thief that stole the evidence against an active swindler that was Kisaki, and his father just appearing out of the blue, asking around Miyagi and gathering information about them and her, the timing of these two events were far too perfect to be a coincidence. The man that was asking around Miyagi about us had to be him. As I thought about it, it was true; the timing of the two events was too perfect. It all made sense._

 _So again, your father asked him if he had sent the thief or not. Although we had an ill-fated relationship, I still had hoped that he would say no. But to our shock and anger, after letting out a breath he had apparently been holding, he confirmed your father's suspicion._

 _Before I could completely process this information however, I heard a thud and looked to see your grandfather fall to the ground with his hand covering his mouth, which had swollen a bit and starting to bleed. Before he could do anything else, I tried to stop him, begging him to calm down, but he wouldn't listen. He had your grandfather by the collar and pinned him against a nearby telephone pole. I again tried in vain to calm your father down, but he ignored me and continued to interrogate him: What he was planning to do with those tapes, and why come to us now of all times._

 _Your grandfather finally answered, that he had nothing to say to defend himself and that we had every right to be angry at him; that he knew that saying that he was sorry would be of no comfort to us. But he said that he had to explain everything to us. And so he continued._

 _It was indeed him that had sent the thief to find the tapes and bring it to him, and he had specifically ordered the man to not touch anything but the tapes. He had found out about the existence of the tapes from the police, almost 15 years ago when Kisaki had been arrested for the first time for theft, she had accidently brought up the tape during the interrogation. At the time, the Kisaki's had started to take over his company, and Momoki was soon bailed out by her family._

 _And after a lengthy legal battle against them, he had finally won the case and the Kisaki's were arrested, all except for Momoki. And afterwords, Momoki went off the grid and underwent a plastic surgery and assumed several false identities to start a life as a swindler._

 _Determined to bring her down so that he could make amends for what he and the Kisaki's had done to us both, even after the legal battle, he pursued Kisaki and investigated fraud cases that we believed were done by Kisaki, with the help of several private detectives and lawyers. But even with their support, she was shrewd and cunning, so by the time we thought we had found a proper evidence to prove her as the culprit of those crimes, she covered her tracks well and had destroyed any evidence pointing to her involvement._

 _He had only wanted to put a stop to Kisaki's fraud streak once and for all. He knew that the means was wrong, but he felt that he needed to stop her as soon as possible. After all, if he had listened to your father, Kisaki may have been brought to justice much sooner. So, that was why he had sent someone he trusted to bring just the tapes, thinking that it could be used as evidence against her. Your father had tried to warn him about the Kisaki's; and that he should have listened._

 _He then again apologized for not beliving him all this time and that he was just so ashamed of himself that he just couldn't gather up the courage to face us because so much time had passed since our separation._

 _To this, your father cold-heartedly agreed; that it was too late for amends; not only for the fact that it took 20 years to even try to reach out for him, but also for the fact that he had the nerve to try and confront us after sending a thief to rob our house; that if he was going to reach out to me in such a manner, then it was better that he not reach out at all; that if he wanted to get those tapes, he should have just confronted me from the very start._

 _At this, his father started to look a bit furious. He tried to defend himself by saying that he had justified his action by explaining to us what he had been upto: to try and bring down Kisaki, contradicting his earlier statement._

 _At this, your father tightened his grip on his father's collar. It looked like he had finally lost his temper. He criticized him for his hypocrisy in a voice that was doing a very poor job of suppressing his anger, saying that even after all these years, he hadn't changed at all. When your grandfather attempted to retort back angrily, he bellowed, asking him if he knew just what that thief he had sent had done to you; his daughter._

 _This seemed to catch his attention, for his eyes widened and asked your father what he meant by that. It was then that your father finally revealed that the man he sent to retrieve the tapes had attacked you, and that we had arrived home just in time to see you pinned against the wall, struggling to free yourself and clearly frightened. He said he shuddered to think what would've happened if we hadn't arrived home in time to chase the thief away. He then dared your grandfather to say something to counter what he had just said. A horrified silence was the only response we received. From what I was seeing, I could only deduce that he truly had no idea that the thief had attacked you._

 _Your father then gave a hollow laugh; it was so emotionless and out of character of him that it was almost frightening to hear. He then started to say something: He couldn't believe that he had even bothered to hope that you would come to us and apologize honestly, and what was more, he dared to even show up after what that wretched thief did to you. It was only then that your grandfather finally said weakly that he was sorry. But your father didn't stop there. His voice at this point was audiably shaking._

 _He continued that although he himself was technically at fault as well for choosing not to visit your grandfather for years, his guilt far outweighed your fathers. How could he, his birth father do everything he had done to his own son, forcing his decisions down his throats, demanding that he obey everything he was told to do and controlling everything I did. What he did wasn't a father's action but that of a ruthless dictator._

 _But then, he said something that made us all even more uncomfortable: How could he act like such, when my parents and I, who weren't even related by blood; who he had constantly belittled and tormented had such an unbreakable bond with each other that it never even shook. How could he never act like even a fraction of how my parents acted?_

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Predestination" by Yasuharu Tanakashi)**

 _I could see a lone tear fall down his cheek when he finished his rant. His breathing was frequent and rough. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn't even bring myself to move at the time. I could do nothing but watch this dreaded scene unfold._

 _Your father finally let go of your grandfather's collar. Both of their expressions remained unchanged: fury and resentment for your father and horror, sadness and regret for your grandfather._

 _Your father finally spoke up once again, albeit in a much quieter voice this time: In the past, he had overlooked his father's wrongdoings for his late mother's sake. But this would be the last time he would show him such clemency. He said that he would turn a blind eye to him sending the thief to get his hands on the tape this one last time. He didn't care anymore about what his father would do to the tapes, or about Kisaki; that whether he manages to catch her or not was no longer any of our concern. He would do all of this for him one last time as his father's son, but in return, he demanded that he never appear before him or me ever again._

 _Your grandfather started to apologize again, but before he could finish, your father bellowed at him to just leave before he changed his mind and get out of our lives. With this, he took off running towards the road. Your grandfather called out your father's name, but your father never turned back and kept running. I too called out, begging him to come back, which he ignored as well._

 _I took a look at your grandfather, looking obviously devastated. I was at a loss for words; all kinds of mixed emotions were fighting inside me for domination. Deciding not to let my emotions control me, I quickly looked away from him, and muttered:_ "I'm sorry." _Even I couldn't tell who I was saying that to: myself, your father, or the sad old man in front of me._

 _Deciding that your father needed me now more than anyone, I left your grandfather behind below the streetlamp to go after your father._

 _Neither of us was able to sleep a wink that night._

 _After the more than unpleasant encounter with him, what followed were days of drinking frenzy for your father. After moving back to our house, since we no longer had to worry about the thief coming back, your father spent the majority of his time away from home and work._

 _Everyday, our neighbors and friends would carry him back to our friend's house, reaking of alcohol every time. It was heartbreaking to see your father in such a state, as he had never been upset enough to drank to such extents before._

 _But it was apparent that his drinking did little good to settle his grudge down. Even when unconscious from being drunk, I would hear him moan that he would never forgive him; never._

 _This continued for about a week or two, but soon we realized that we didn't know everything about your grandfather as we had originally thought._

 _After about 2 weeks had passed after the fight with your grandfather had passed, your father finally decided to stop drinking away his anger. But it was like he was trying to forget what had happened. I knew I couldn't just let this be. We had done exactly that when we eloped 20 years ago, only for the problem to find its way back to us and leave behind only bad memories. I knew that if we didn't solve this problem once and for all, then it would only come back to haunt us once again. But seeing how upset your father was, approaching him about this problem was no easy task at all._

 _As I was contemplating on how to have this talk with him, we received a visit from someone that we never expected to see._

 _I still remember how surprised I was when I saw that the man who used to be your grandfather's secretary had come to our house. I remember seeing him a few times before, interacting with both your father and grandfather. He was even present during the banquet in which we were framed as thieves 20 years ago; that was the last time I had seen him. He had always adored your father, even when he was young, always referring to him as 'young master'._

 _He said that it was imperative that he see the young master. Even though your father was technically no longer a young master anymore, he still called him that. Of course, I hesitated in letting the man into our house; after all it was obvious of what he was trying to talk about to your father. But at the same, I thought that this just may be a chance to get through to your father. So, deciding to stomach a potential shouting and nagging match, I let him come into our house and called your father._

 _Expectedly, your father had mixed feeling about the secretary coming to visit. Although he was glad to see him, at the same time, he was displeased because he didn't even have to guess why he had come. He said that he didn't want to hear anything more about his father or whatever he had been upto for the last 20 years, so he wanted the secretary to leave at once._

 _It took some convincing, but in the end, your father finally decided to listen to what the former secretary had to say. And so, after sitting down in the living room, he started his explanation._

 _As we had expected, he was indeed here to explain to us about his former superior._

 _To start off, he said to your father that he had to understand, in the last 20 years, the president had been through so much._

 _Then he stated that he explain to us what exactly had happened._

 _Then he asked us when we had left Tokyo not long after our graduation from high school, if we had missed our bus that was scheduled to leave the bus terminal in Tokyo to go to the Fukushima prefecture, before going to Miyagi._

 _We were very surprised to hear that he knew of this. We had planned to take a trip together to Fukushima before going to Miyagi to join our parents there. After all, Fukushima was right beside Miyagi, and was also between Tokyo and Miyagi._

 _But the thing was, your father had misread the departure time on the bus ticket that we had bought, which lead us to missing the bus, much to my annoyance and his repeated apology. So, we had to take another bus a few hours later. But this had happened years ago. What did that small incident have anything to do with where we were now?_

 _Then the secretary revealed a surprising fact: the bus that we originally should have gotten on had gotten into a huge accident. The bus had run off the road when a car driven by a reckless driver had gotten in front of the bus, forcing the bus driver to evade quickly, which in turn capsized the bus and had it heading towards a curve. The bus had been running on the highway, so even the curve was unable to stop the bus from falling away from the road._

 _The bus fell to the forest below and caught on fire. The driver who caused the accident had fled the scene, fearing for the responsibility. And by the time the accident was discovered by another passerby, the bus had been completely ablaze and by the time the firefighters and police arrived at the scene, the bus was in a complete inferno._

 _When the firefighters managed to put out the fire, they investigated together with the police and determined that none of the passengers who were in that bus had made it out alive. They tried to identify the bodies, but all of the passenger's remains were badly burned and their belongings had been destroyed in the fire as well, making it nearly impossible to identify them._

 _Hearing this unexpected information, the two of us were at a loss for words. Our minds were already starting to piece together the given information. But the secretary beat us to it before we could voice our conclusion._

 _He asked your father if he had never wondered why it was that the president had never attempted to reach out to us for such a long time. It wasn't because he didn't care; it was because everyone, including your him had thought that we were also aboard that bus and believed all this time that we had perished from that accident, and that he had no doubt that if he knew that you were alive all this time, he would have tried to find you._

 _We both sat where we were, absolutely thunderstruck. We never had the faintest idea that anything of the sort had happened._

 _Come to think of it, both of us had fallen asleep on the bus ride to Fukushima, so we must have missed the scene of the accident because of that. But this piece of information was merely the tip of the iceberg._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Tears for You")**

 _The secretary continued his explanation. Needless to say, after learning of our supposed death, your grandfather was devastated. He could still remember his boss pretending like nothing was wrong; like he didn't care._

 _But the truth was that was all just a façade. For months, he had wept alone for losing your father, away from the judgmental eyes of others. So much that the secretary had lost count of the number of times he had done so._

 _But unbeknownst to them at the time, while everyone especially your grandfather was busy grieving for the loss, the Kisaki's were taking advantage of the distraction to start to take over the company. And by the time he had managed to calm down enough, things had already taken a turn for the worst. They had forged documents and bribed the company officials to turn them against the president._

 _Their methods in doing so were so meticulous that we had no idea of their betrayal until it was too late._

 _They had only started to realize that something was wrong when some of the company's important documents had gone missing, only to later learn that they were in the hands of the people working with the Kisaki's. So needless to say, the president was shocked to learn of this. He had barely managed to overcome his grief of losing your father at the time and more so that the people he had trusted and helped comfort him during his period of mourning had backstabbed him like they did._

 _But that was the least of his worries. Only a day after the revelation of their betrayal, the police came to arrest the president, who informed them that they had evidence of fraud and theft against him, given to them by none other than the Kisaki's. Of course, the evidence was fabricated._

 _This case soon went to court and your grandfather and the legal team worked hard to keep the company from falling into the Kisaki's hands. But unfortunately, the case was lost, and as a result, your grandfather had to spend about 10 years in prison._

 _Even during your grandfather's time in prison, the secretary and his legal advisors visited him countless times, trying to find a way to get him out of prison, as well as clear his name by finding the evidence that proved the Kisaki's were the guilty ones. But he had always told them not to; that this was his punishment for not believing your father's words sooner, and for everything he had done to the both of us. He always lamented that he not only lost his wife but now his son as well, all because of his arrogance._

 _When we heard this, I don't think that being shocked was an adequate way of explaining how we felt at the time. But the surprises didn't stop there for the secretary continued._

 _It was only 10 years later, after your grandfather was released from prison that evidence of the Kisakis' guilt began to surface. What was more was that the company's stock prices as well as its public image was at an all time low, because of rumors that the company officials accepted bribes from other companies for cheaper but lower quality ingredients for company's products. And speaking of ingredients, at the time when your grandfather was released, numerous consumers were complaining that the company put food additives into our products which were known to be unhealthy, and some of the people were even hospitalized from food poisoning from eating their products. And if that wasn't enough, several strikes had already happened at the company by the employees. They were extremely unhappy that they had to work overtime almost every day and receive no compensation. To top that off, the company itself faced several lawsuits from some of its employees of abusive superiors. Simply put, the company was heading towards bankruptcy._

 _As soon as the president was informed of the company's critical situation, he, along with the secretary, started to gather evidence with the help of private detectives as well as a few of his old colleagues who had believed in his innocence even after all this time. And in due time, the Kisakis' grip on the company faltered. And with the evidence they discovered against them brought to the court, they were finally able to clear the president's name as well as incarcerate the Kisaki's, with the exception of Momoki, who was briefly in police custody, but was able to find a way to release herself. She was facing numerous fraud related charges; ones that were irrelavent to the company, but was ultimately released due to lack of evidence. But the good news was, the president's reputation was restored and was compensated generously by the court for his time spent in prison._

 _The company was finally free from the corrupt hands of the Kisaki's, and had to go through a massive reorganization. Several high officials were replaced with new ones for their dirty business practices, and formal apology statements were made official. But a tarnished reputation was not something that could be mended so easily. So, the new company officials asked your grandfather to become the president of the company once again._

 _But it was clear that even after 10 years, the supposed death of your father still haunted him, for he refused, saying that he wanted to be left alone, and couldn't bear to suffer through another loss like that. How could he, someone who led his own son to his death, deserve to call himself a leader? How could he protect a company and its people, when he failed to protect his own family, he had asked them. He had never said a word about it, but the secretary could tell that he had suffered greatly in prison, not from any physical torture, but from his own sense of guilt. The prison guards had informed the secretary that during his time in prison that he had attempted suicide several times. He clearly blamed himself for what he believed had happened to the two of us._

 _It took a lot of time to convince him, but after a few months, after repeatedly convincing him to accept what had happened, and move on from the past, he finally accepted his position back as the president. The secretary truly believed that he accepted his reinstatement because he wanted to be able to face his son again when the time came for him to leave this world._

 _As he started working again as the president, the company started to regain the reputation that it had lost over the years, slowly but surely. It looked like things were starting to finally look up for him. But it wasn't to be._

 _Only a few years after his reinstatement, he had suddenly been rushed to the hospital after coughing up blood, only to be diagnosed with cancer, and the discovery was quite late. By the time it was discovered, it had already progressed dangerously. So, he was once again forced to step down from the position and retire to take care of his health. The secretary had always felt that although the Kisaki's betrayal and his time in prison had contributed to his ill health, his grief of losing his son was the biggest instigator, more than anything else._

 _We were, for the umpteenth shocked to hear the detail. Your grandfather had suffered to the point of becoming ill, and we had absolutely no clue of it until now. But the shock didn't stop there; the secretary was far from finished._

 _So, after stepping down from his position once again, although this time he was given a warm and proper farewell by the employees. After stepping down, he set out on a journey for himself. He started to travel throughout the country, as well as abroad to see the world outside of just Japan; a journey of redemption if you will. The secretary visited your grandfather from time to time whenever he returned to Tokyo to rest from his journey. Although he requested to him numerous to just stay in Tokyo to relax and recuperate, he always answered that he had never been more at ease than he was now. After letting go of all of his obsessions and seeing the world with his own eyes, he was finally starting to understand why your father felt so frustrated being in their home. After the death of his wife, the distance between him and your father had grown to the point of loathing, ultimately leading to this whole incident. He sought to make amends for everything he did._

 _But about a year before we met your grandfather once again, when he was in Tokyo for one of his rests from his trip, his health took another turn for the worst. Although he wasn't stressed out anymore as he had no work to do anymore, and traveling was his way to relax and rest, it was clear that it did little to help his illness. When he was taken to the hospital after suddenly collapsing, the doctor declared that he had at most 2 or 3 years left to live; that there was nothing they could do about his health anymore._

 _If your father didn't look indifferent before, he sure was now. I could see all kinds of mixed emotion from him from hearing this load of information._

 _The secretary was shocked to hear the doctor's sentence, but your grandfather looked as if he had been expecting it. He said that he would have to make his remaining time meaningful. Then afterwards, true to his words, although he never traveled again anymore, he still made sure to make his days meaningful. He started by making donations to various charity groups he believed would be a good cause. Even though death was near him now, he looked even more at ease._

 _But not long after the declaration that he didn't have much time left, he received information and clues about the whereabouts of a notorious con artist, who went by numerous aliases. At this point, she was responsible for dozens of scams and fraud so that she was wanted by the authorities with a large bounty on her capture. But we were soon able to find out that that scammer was the still elusive Kisaki Momoki. At first, the secretary thought that he was trying to find evidence to catch her, but to his surprise, he intended to have a talk with her. He didn't understand why he just didn't turn her over to the police; after all, she was wanted across the country._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "No Way")**

 _When they did manage to meet her, expectedly, she was not at all pleased to see them. She had also changed her appearance through plastic surgery, so we couldn't recognize her at all. When they started talking, the president urged her to turn herself in. He was giving her this chance for redemption because although it was short lived, she was to become his daughter-in-law. But the only response we received from her was a cruel laugh and insulting words towards us; that your father only got what he deserved for siding with me over her. This blatant insult towards us two, who of course, were believed to be dead by everyone, enraged both the secretary and your grandfather._

 _Swallowing their anger, they tried a few more times to convince her to turn herself in, but this only resulted in more insulting words, such as she would've received all the money from his family, if only I hadn't gotten in the way and seduced him. Finally having enough, your grandfather decided to leave. Not only did she throw away her last chance for redemption, her utter disrespect towards us finally pushed him over the edge. There was no longer any point in staying._

 _Before leaving though, he snarled at her, saying that it was a good thing that your father never did get married to her; if he had, he would've sentenced him to a miserable life and he may not have even known about it, at least until it was too late. He just wished that he had just accepted me and your father as a couple sooner, or we would still be there with him. He also swore that he would do whatever it took to bring her down, even if it costs him is life; that it was the last thing he could do for your father, and for me as well. Seeing this, she only gave a scoff, asking how a frail and sick old man like him, who could die at any momen and have nothing left, could stop her. She would love to see him try, she added._

 _After this infuriating encounter, they started to gather evidence to prove that Kisaki was the scammer that was on the loose. Although they did make some progress, it wasn't enough to bring her in._

 _But then, only a few weeks ago from when we had met your grandfather, one of the workers who was close to him had called him urgently, saying that he had something very important to tell him. When he did, he told them a piece of information that shocked them very much. He was in Miyagi to visit his relatives, but in the process, he passed by your father and I when we were out in the markets. Unable to believe his eyes, he had followed us home secretly and saw us with you. He realized that he wasn't hallucinating; that we had been alive all this time._

 _Both the secretary and your grandfather were very surprised to hear this and immediately came to Miyagi and to our house, and they saw for themselves that we were indeed alive. He was overjoyed to see that we were alive, and to see that we were happy together. But seeing us like that made him wonder if he even had the right to intervene. After all, we had gotten to where we were even without his help. If only he hadn't been so stubborn and had known Kisaki's true colors when he had brought in that tape…_

 _But then, the secretary thought of something. Kisaki had mentioned a tape that was in your father's possession. It must have been the tape that he had tried to get your grandfather to listen to on the day he ran away. Kisaki must have been desperate to get her hands on the tape at the time, and could possibly still want to get rid of anything that could become evidence against her. Although she had done a good job of hiding it at the time they had met her, he could tell that she was desperate and paranoid. So he suggested to him that they meet him and ask for the tapes. But your grandfather wasn't very keen on the idea. Although he was glad to see us alive and well, if they showed up and asked us for the tape shortly after they meet for the first time in 20 years, your father may have the wrong idea about his purpose in visiting us. So the solution was to secretly get the tapes by hiring someone he knew. And that was indeed the thief that had broken into our house when you were alone in it. But of course, not only did he fail to obtain the desired tape, he had put our whole family on alert._

 _It was at this point that your father cut him off sharply asking him if he had known about it, to which he said yes. He wouldn't try to excuse himself for what had happened; he just wanted to bring Kisaki Momoki in chains for her insolence. So we allowed him to continue._

 _It was then that your grandfather had finally decided to confront us. But now, his condition was getting worse. So he decided that he would no longer try to get the tapes; he just wanted to see his son one more time before his time was up. So he was prepared for the worst: he didn't expect any kind of forgiveness from us; that he didn't deserve it. He would take all the blame and resentment we still had against him._

 _And then he started to explain what had happened a week ago. After the confrontation we had with your grandfather, he lamented that he had suddenly let his anger get the better of him as well; when we were talking, a sudden thought had invaded his mind:_ 'I had thought that you were dead, but clearly you knew that I was still alive. So why did you never even try to reach out all this time? Was that just too much to ask?' _He said that he regreted saying those words almost immediately they came out of his mouth, but it was too late. He had only left behind bad memories for his last time seeing his son._

 _But sadly, perhaps it was because of our encounter, but your grandfather was hospitalized again in a general hospital in Miyagi with another relapse. He had been there ever since the day after our encounter._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "In Your Past")**

 _Your father couldn't take it anymore. He tried adamantly to deny everything he had heard; that the secretary was lying just to make him feel sympathy towards your grandfather. But at this, the secretary handed us your grandfather's diary. It confirmed everything the secretary had told us. He truly was sorry for everything that had happened._

 _Your father finally stopped restraining himself at this point; he wept bitterly. All this time, he had thought that his father never visited because he never cared; it was all a huge misunderstanding._

 _I was crying too. But then I remembered that the secretary had said that your grandfather's time was very limited. If that was so, we had to see him off. So we went to the hospital he was at with heavy hearts._

 _I didn't even have to look at your father's face to know that he was just as horrorstruck as I was when we were informed of his imminent death. I knew what he must have been feeling then: shock and more obviously, regret. During his journey to where he was, your father's expression never changed._

 _When we arrived at the hospital, we already knew that we were not going to like what we would face, but… it was worse than what we were expecting. When we arrived, the doctor informed us that he was currently undergoing a surgery, but in his current condition, his probability of survival was extremely low and that it was probably best to start preparing themselves._

 _Although there were plenty of past events that contributed to their ill-fated relationship for the two, they were still father and son._

 _As we waited outside the operation room, your father kept blaming himself; that he shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like he did; that he shouldn't have always assumed the worst about him. He wondered how he was going to face him now._

 _To this, I encouraged him to go and see him. After all, it would most likely be his last moments. I told him that if he chose not to see him now, then he would later come to regret it. Besides, if he saw that his son had forgiven him at last, then at least he would have no regrets anymore._

 _To make my point in this clear, I had to tell him of how my birth parents passed away. I was there beside them the moment they died, and although I was still a young child back then, the memory would still haunt me for as long as I live. I had said a lot of things I wanted to say to them before it was their time, may they be bringing up happy, sad, or angry moments that we had together. And although it was sad and painful to bring them up to my dying mother and father, but in the end, I was glad that I had done it, because if I hadn't done so, I knew I would have regretted it. So if he didn't want this moment to be anymore regretful than it had to be, then he should be with him for his last moments. Your father finally listened and when the surgery was over, we went to his room to wait until he woke up._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "At Our Parting")**

 _When we entered his room, we were shocked. We knew that he was on deathbed, but he had gotten even paler and thinner than the last time we had seen him. About an hour later, he woke up and was surprised to see us in the room with him. As soon as he saw that his father was awake, your father wasted no time in going beside him._

 _He tried speaking after a few pained coughs. It was obvious that his life was hanging by the thread at this point. Your father proceeded to tell him that he was sorry and tried to explain himself, but in response, your grandfather said that there was no need for him to be sorry; in fact he should be the one to apologize. He admitted that he had been too stubborn and too forceful. Looking at how we were living right now, he wished that he had just accepted our relationship back then. After all, even without fame or fortune, he could now see that we were indeed happy._

 _Looking back for the last twenty years, there were so many things he regretted doing. But at least now, he was given the chance to fully reconcile with his one and only son, so he now had no regrets anymore._

 _He then requested just one more thing; to me specifically: to continue to be by your father's side, and by your side; to continue to do what he had failed to do because of his ambitions, and to try not to have a fight with you big enough that would result in you leaving us, like what had happened between him and your father. And lastly, although it was late, he congradulated us on our marriage. I was glad that he had finally accepted us. Even though it was 20 years late, and not under the best of circumstances, I was still gratified._

 _Seconds after he finished those words, he passed away. I had known your father for a long time, but I had never seen him grieve like he did then. I honestly can't tell you how much he wept …_

 _Then, a few days after your grandfather passed away, you called us, telling us that you had passed the enterance exam for the university that you had been dreaming to get into. And fortunately, your graduation would be held in the next week, only a day after the funeral, so we decided to finish the funeral and then head straight to Tokyo for your graduation ceremony._

 _A few days after your grandfather passed away, the secretary handed a few documents to us, which turned out to be deeds as well as insurance money. We were surprised to see that he had prepared this on such short notice, considering that it hadn't been long that he found out that we were still alive. He said that it was your grandfather's last will to give everything to us and our family._

 _Frankly at the time, we were struggling a bit financially to prepare money for your university fee. But with the money provided by your grandfather, you would be able to walk down the path you would want. I was grateful and so was your father that he had given you a chance to shine in the real world._

 _When we arrived to meet you at Tokyo, I remember you complaining after your graduation that your father and I looked a bit spaced out. But at the time, your father still hadn't gotten over his grief and wasn't ready to disclose what had really happened, so we had to gloss over it._

 _After your graduation, using the money that your grandfather had passed on to us, we were able to safely pay for your university tuition. Seeing you get excited in such a long time was truly a consoling sight; it was just what we needed after such an event. After all, you being a more serious person, it was a rare sight to see._

 _So, staying true to what your grandfather asked us to do, we decided to respect your decisions and just observe you. And frankly, there was nothing more we could do for you when you would leave for university but to root for you._

 _And we continued to watch you for the next few years as you made it through university with top grades and quickly rise through your career._

 _We thought that we could keep our promise to your late grandfather with no problem, but our promise was put to the test on the day when you brought Shouzou to us to introduce him to us. A few years after you started working in Tokyo, you told us over the phone that you were dating a young man that you met in university._

 _I'm sure that you and Shouzou remember that day as much as we do. As you remember, I was curious to meet Shouzou, but as for your father, he was very skeptical about your relationship._

 _So when the day came that the two of you came to our house, and we started talking and asking Shouzou about himself. After it was over, we discussed our opinions about your relationship together, discussing our opinions outloud: while I approved of your relationship together, your father was strongly against it._

 _It was then that you barged into our room, having overheard our conversation. You then asked us why he opposed their relationship. Then your father had asked whether you truly had feelings for him, or just approached him because of his family background. Of course, you answered the former, but your father had his doubts, judging from your strong desire to earn a career that others wouldn't be able to look down upon eversince you were small, and the money that would be needed for that, he though that you were just using Shouzou for your own career's stepping stone._

 _And because of that, an argument broke out between you two. I tried in vain to stop the argument, but it quickly escalated to both of your boiling points. With your father believing that you were pursuing a relationship with Shouzou solely for his money and you telling him not to interfere with her plans for her future; that marriage and relationships were just parts of one's career too. And, although I didn't want to admit it, your father had a point. I had a good first impression of Shouzou, but I too didn't want you to pursue relationship based purely on money either. After all, both your father and I had seen what kind of results that brought, if the incident with your grandfather was any indication. Plus, judging from your answer then, I'm quite sure that it reminded your father of Kisaki, who by the way was arrested a few months after your grandfather's funeral. And I'm sure that was part of the reason that he was so angry at the time; believing that his own daughter was behave like one of the people that he hated so much._

 _But of course, you, having no idea of what your father was thinking, just thought that we were just trying to discourage you out of petty jealousy. And then, having had enough, your father had shouted at you to get out of his sight; that he didn't remember raising you to be such a greedy person. You and I both were stunned at his words. I tried to dissuade him, but you immediately left the house with Shouzou, obviously in distress._

 _I rebuked your father for losing his temper like he did. It took him a while to calm down, and when he did, I reminded him of the promise that we made to his father before he died; that we wouldn't allow the same thing that happened between them to happen to our family, and that if he does nothing now, he would be making the same mistake that his father made. This seemed to knock some sense into him, as he seemed to regret his actions._

 _He was just scared that you would go down the path that his father had chosen, so he wanted to stop that above anything else. But now that he thought about it, looking at how he lost his temper so easily at the first thought of suspicion, and not even bothering to see things from your point of view, he stated that he was in no position to lecture you._

 _Fortunately, soon enough, Shouzou had called telling us that he would try and talk to you and after a few days, the two of you came back to start over. Although he didn't say so at the time, I'm sure he was grateful to Shouzou, for preventing another family breakup under his watch._

 _Thus, as you remember, after discussing for a few moments and letting each other know what we were thinking, both of you asked us to allow them to be together. And after the discussion, tension had died down abit between us. Since your father had thought that your relationship was strictly business and career oriented he couldn't accept it, but you on the other hand thought that he was acting on petty jealousy._

 _So the solution we came up with was allowing you two to be together for a couple of months and see for ourselves whether you two truly cared for each other and if we deemed that it was so, he would allow you to make future decisions for yourselves._

 _And during those times, your father kept a close eye between you two, especially Shouzou, but watching your interaction, he deemed that you two were indeed a right match. And after spending some time with him to get to know him better, he started to like Shouzou more and more. With a more open heart, he started trying to see things from your point of view, and that had certainly helped him understand you two, as well as judge Shouzou more carefully. Then, about a year after you introduced Shouzou to us, your father finally accepted you. I still remember how happy the two of you were, finally being accepted as a couple. Since the Yuuki's had already approved of you, your father was your only stumbling block for your relationship to be fully accepted, so it was no wonder that you were happy. And seeing you two that way, even we couldn't help but smile._

 _And as time passed, you eventually asked permission for your marriage, and both of our families were ecstatic to hear it. Then as time went by, after your marriage, Kouichirou and Asuna came. Watching your family grow, as well as both of your works going well, we couldn't be happier for you two._

 _Although that meant that you two couldn't come to Miyagi very often, it still gladdened us to see you living your dreams._

 _Kyouko, by now you may be wondering now of why I've been telling you of these things. It was because I don't want the tragedy that happened between your father and grandfather to be repeated._

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Trying to Understand")**

 _All parents can say that everything they do is for their children, and they think that they mean it. But they have to understand that repeatedly forcing their decision upon them without having them understand the reasons behind the things they do will only serve to suffocate them. This is especially true when it involves the children's love life._

 _You've said before that marriage is a part of one's career, and that can be true to some degree, but even so, if a couple is married purely for the sake of business or money, then I can say without a doubt that only a bleak and unhappy future await them. A marriage without love and trust is doomed to end in misery for both sides. Your father is a witness to this statement. Had he accepted the arranged marriage his father had set for him out of greed for profit, he knew he would have regretted it. Even though admittedly, not having a steady flow of money was inconvenient to say the least, choosing each other over empty riches is a decision your father and I will never regret. And I hope you and Shouzou feel the same as well for Kouichirou and Asuna._

 _Now I know that you care for both Kouichirou and Asuna, and I know that you especially worry for Asuna, seeing that she's been through more dangerous situations than a child her age should have to go through, but I think that you should loosen up a bit when it comes to her._

 _There were times when Kouichirou and Asuna came over to Miyagi, they told us about you. But I could see that as time passed, although they love and respected you, they seemed to be growing frustrated and tired at the same time, especially Asuna. Although I trust you to be able to judge what's best for them both, let me remind you: a parent's job is to be guides and advisors for their children as they live through life. If they coerce them to do things that they hate, like forcing them to marry someone so that it would bring profit or reputation for their family, it could look like a happy marriage, but chances are, that happiness is only a shell._

 _Not only that, if your children do not like the partner you seem to like, I implore you to try and understand them instead of just forcing your decision upon them._

 _And on that note, if you wish to judge someone that you find to be suitable as a potential partner for your children, then the advise I would have to give you is to look beneath the obvious; to not judge the people you meet solely by their family background or ethnicity, but to judge them by their words, actions, beliefs and whether they truly care for your children and not who their parents are._

 _So for whatever reason, when a disagreement breaks out between you and Kouichirou or Asuna, be sure to tell them of what you feel and also understand why they feel so opposed whatever you argue over. If you always act one-sidedly towards them, then I fear that they would start resenting you and Shouzou, like how your father resented your grandfather, and like how you once did to your father._

 _Obsessedly pursuing fame and fortune and taking proper care for your family; these two aren't something that can be done at the same time. There may be a time where you have to choose one over the other; there may be a time when situation forces you to decide which is more important: fortune or family. As a parent, I leave that decision to you. But please don't deceive yourself by saying that you want to have the fame and fortune for your family. What your family truly needs before fame and fortune is love, trust, and care. If you put money or reputation before that, well, I don't think I need to explain any further on that._

 _Now, I can't tell you how to be happy or successful, nor can you tell that your children. That's something that one must discover for oneself. Even if you have a way of thinking, there are no guarentees that your children will share your exact thoughts just because you are parent and child. But, if you continue to support them and respect their decisions on what they believe is the path for them, I'm sure that with time, your family will be able to understand each other better than you could have ever imagined._

 _I hope that the two of you keep what I've told you in mind and continue to live towards a life with no regrets._

 _Kyouko, even now, you still remain as the center of my and your father's thoughts. So I can only pray that you raise your family and be happy like you promised us you would be._

 _Shouzou, you've done everything in your power to continue to support Kyouko as well as Kouichirou and Asuna. So please, keep what I wrote in this letter in mind and continue to help and support them when they need it. With the two of you working together to achieve this, I believe that your family will be able to be truly happy together._

 _We will continue to pray for the both of you and your family's future._

 _With love always._

 _Your mother._

* * *

 **(A/N: Play the OST: "Is This Love?" - The ORIGINAL pitched version can also be found in the SAO Music Collection)**

Kyouko tried to say something, but she discovered that her throat had closed up and could only choke in response.

Her hands were shaking violently while still holding her mother's letter. Soon, tears were falling onto the letter, smudging the ink.

"Mother…" Kyouko croaked, barely managing to form the word in her mouth.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…!" She wept, with all her pride and dignity forgotten. As she continued crying, her husband held her, drying her tears with no words spoken.

When her crying and hiccupping became less and less frequent, Shouzou finally spoke up.

"Dear, listen to me. Now that you seem to understand your mother's words, promise me. When Kouichirou comes back with Asuna, and I know that he will, let's set everything down and apologize to them. Let's start by giving them the trust they deserve, like your parents did for you. What do you say?" Shouzou offered softly.

Kyouko stayed silent for a minute, gathering her thoughts through her tears. Eventually, she responded.

"Mmm…" She nodded. Shouzou smiled at this, becoming a bit misty-eyed himself.

He held onto her as she continued to cry out her emotions. But at least now, there was still hope that their family would come back to them. All they could do now was to wait and pray for the best.

Out in the window, the sun had fully risen in the sky, brightening the hospital room.

* * *

 **A/N: There we go… The long letter is finally over. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. The events in this letter were inspired from quite a bit of Korean dramas I've watched, but it was also inspired from a character from another anime who was also born in a rich family, had problems with her father and her mother had passed away. Can you try and guess who this character is from which anime? Leave your guess on the review or PM me.**

 **Here are a few hints: 1) One of the OST's used in this chapter.**

 **2) Cherami Leigh**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter will focus back to Kouichirou and Asuna as they travel to Miyagi together.**

 **Please leave a review or PM me of what your opinions.**

 **Yours truly, KiritoIRL.**


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